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jjt  tUe  Mto\ogi(nt 


PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


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Purchased  by  the  Hamill   Missionary  Fund. 


BV  2060 

.C32 

1909 

1 

\   Carver, 

Will 

iam 

Owen, 

1868- 

'      1954. 

i  Missions 

in 

the 

plan 

of 

the 

?   arfoc 

MISSIONS    IN   THE 
PLAN   OF  THE   AGES 


Missions   in  the 
Plan  of  the  Ages 


Bible  Studies  in  Missioi>a{^V^J^^5!?%\ 

*    JUL  20 1909     * 


% 


i/By 


£e/CAL  SEtf' 


WILLIAM  OWEN  CARVER,  M.  A.,  Th.  D. 

Professor  of  Comparative  Religmi 
and  Missions  in  the  Southern  Baptist 
theological  Seminary,  Louisville,  Ky. 


New  York  Chicago  Toronto 

Fleming  H.  Revell  Company 


London 


AND 


Edinburgh 


Copyright,  1909,  by 
FLEMING  H.   REVELL  COMPANY 


New  York:  158  Fifth  Avenue 
Chicago:  80  Wabash  Avenue 
Toronto:  25  Richmond  Street,  W. 
London:  21  Paternoster  Square 
Edinburgh:      100    Princes    Street 


Dedicated 
to  the  memory 

of 

my  First  Treacher  in  the 

Bible    and    in  Missions 

MY  MOTHER 


PREFACE 

FOR  several  years  the  author  has  lectured  to 
large  classes  of  theological  students  on  the 
teaching  of  the  Bible  concerning  missions. 
The  interest  of  his  students  has  led  him  to  hope 
that  a  larger  use  of  these  studies  might  in  some 
small  measure  advance  the  interests  of  the  king- 
dom of  God.  Taking  advantage  of  a  vacation 
from  the  class-room  he  has  written  out  these 
studies  and  presents  them  in  a  form  that  should 
make  them  available  for  students  and  study 
classes  generally. 

The  work  proceeds  upon  the  assumption  of  the 
Divine  origin  and  validity  of  the  Scriptures  in  de- 
tail as  well  as  in  general.  The  author  quite 
agrees  with  those  who  think  that  not  all  the  work 
of  Biblical  criticism  can  rob  the  Bible  of  its  mis- 
sionary character  so  long  as  any  part  of  it  re- 
mains, since  missions  belong  to  its  very  essence. 
It  cannot  be  denied,  however,  that  in  practice  as 
well  as  in  theory,  missionary  workers  come  most 
largely  from  the  ranks  of  those  who  accept  the 
Bible  in  a  sense  quite  different  from  that  of  the 
radical  criticism.  This  work  does  not  hesitate  to 
quote  and  expound  individual  passages  as  author- 

7 


8  Preface 

itative  while  it  recognizes  fully  the  worth  of  the 
appeal  to  the  general  spirit  of  the  whole  Word. 
The  foundation  principles  of  the  Christian  task 
j  of  world  conquest  are  to  be  found  in  the  Bible, 
■  not  so  much  in  the  authority  of  an  imposed  duty 
1  as  in  the  impulse  of  the  spirit  of  our  Religion, 
I  the  genius  and  the  very  life  of  our  Faith. 

It  is  these  fundamental  principles  that  the 
author  has  sought  to  present  from  the  Word. 
In  the  main  the  text  of  the  American  Standard 
Revision  has  been  used,  but  where  required  for 
clearness  or  proper  emphasis  the  author  has  not 
hesitated  to  render  the  original  in  his  own  phrase- 
ology. 


CONTENTS 


I. 

The  Missionary  Idea  in  the  Bible 

11 

II. 

The    Meaning    of    Missions  to   God 
—Their  Author  .... 

27 

III. 

The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  Jesus — 
Their  Founder     .... 

60 

IV. 

The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Indi- 
vidual Christian — Their  Agent  . 

84 

V. 

The    Meaning    of    Missions    to    the 
Church — Their  Conservator 

105 

VI. 

The    Meaning    of    Missions    to    the 
World — Their  Beneficiary 

I2X/ 

VII. 

The  Missionary  Message     . 

141    / 

VIII. 

The  Missionary  Plan  .... 

170  ^ 

IX. 

The  Missionary  Pov^er 

207 

X. 

The  Missionary  Work 

227 

XL 

The       Missionary      Consummation — 
Prophecy  of  Missions    . 

253 

Index    

283 

Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

I 

THE  MISSIONARY  IDEA  IN  THE  BIBLE 

I.     DEFINITION 

MISSIONS  mean  the  extensive  realization 
of  God's  redemptive  purpose  in  Christ 
by  means  of  human  messengers. 

It  is  not  possible  closely  to  mark  missions  ofi 
from  other  work  in  that  kingdom  of  God  which 
it  is  ever  the  first  duty  of  every  disciple  to  seek. 
It  will  be  suggestive  to  say  that  missions  introduce 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  which  other  work  deepens 
and  develops  in  the  extent  and  power  of  its  influ- 
ence in  the  whole  life  of  man.  Missions  is  the 
proclamation  of  the  Good  News  of  the  kingdom 
where  it  is  news ;  further  evangelization  and  min- 
istration make  manifest  the  goodness  of  the  news, 
emphasizing  and  applying  it  in  the  varied  relations 
of  our  life.  It  is  too  common  an  error  to  mark  oflE 
by  geographical  lines  missionary  work  from  other 
phases  of  evangelization. 

Jehovah  is  "  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth "  *  and 

1  Gen.  i8 :  25. 
II 


12        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

"  His  kingdom  ruleth  over  all."  *  God's  ideal  in- 
cludes all  this  and  more.  As  expressed  in  the 
Christ  it  is  that  His  kingdom  shall  rule  within  all. 
It  is  the  spiritual  ideal,  wherein  all  shall  know 
God,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest.^  The  Divine 
Logos  was  in  the  world  and  the  world  was  made 
through  Him  and  yet  the  world  did  not  know 
Him.  He  was  indeed  the  true  Light  lighting 
every  man  who  comes  into  the  world ;  and  yet  as 
the  Life-light  of  men  He  shines  in  a  darkness  that 
not  only  fails  to  "  apprehend  "  the  Light,  but  even 
resists  and  seeks  to  ** overcome"  it.^  Missions 
is  the  agency  through  which  the  people  that  walk 
in  darkness  come  to  see  the  Great  Light  and  by 
which  the  Light  shines  upon  them  that  are  dwell- 
ing in  the  land  of  deep  darkness."* 

We  shall  see  how  fully  the  Scriptures  teach  that 
for  this  age  the  Father  and  the  Son  have  appointed 
missions  as  the  process  for  approaching  the  ideal 
of  God's  spiritual  reign  on  earth. 

IL    Origin 

I.  The  origin  of  missions  is  ultimately  to  be 
found  in  the  heart  of  God.  His  are  the  redemp- 
tive purpose  and  plan.  No  thought  of  God  is 
true  to  His  revelation  of  Himself  that  does  not 
rest  on  the  fact  that  He  "  so  loved  the  world  that 

»Ps.  103:19.  »Jer.  31:34. 

'  Cf.  John  1 :  10,  4 f.  *Isa.  9:2;  cf.  marginal  reading. 


The  Missionary  Idea  in  the  Bible        13 

He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son  "  that  by  believ- 
ing in  Him  "  the  world  should  be  saved  through 
Him."  ^  It  was  God  that  was  *'  in  Christ  reconcil- 
ing the  world  unto  Himself,  not  reckoning  their 
trespasses  unto  them ; "  ^  and  not  so  reckoning 
for  the  reason  that  this  love-sent  Son  "  is  the  pro- 
pitiation for  the  whole  world."  ^  This  attitude  of 
God  is  eternal  and  is  determinative  in  all  His 
dealings  with  men.  He  is  ever  working  towards 
the  end  that  "  they  who  have  not  heard  "  may 
have  **  the  glad  tidings  preached  unto  them "  ; 
that  "  they  who  were  no  people  may  come  to  be  a 
people  of  God's  own  possession."  *  So  it  is  that 
when  men  come  to  be  God's  "ambassadors  on 
behalf  of  Christ"  they  must  go  to  all  ignorant 
and  erring  men  beseeching  them  "  to  be  reconciled 
unto  God."  * 

In  our  time  this  missionary  idea  of  God  is  play- 
ing a  large  part  in  saving  our  theology  and  vital- 
izing it  with  a  new  life. 

Modem  missions  more  than  all  else  have  fos- 
tered the  true  idea  of  the  Father  love  of  God  for 
sinful  and  incomplete  men.  In  speculative  the- 
ology two  imperfect  views  have  been  in  sharp 
conflict.  One  school  has  insisted  on  the  judicial 
interpretation  of  God,  to  be  moved  in  behalf  of 
man  only  by  the  bloody  persuasion  of  a  crucified 

1  Cf.  John  3  :  i6,  17.  «  2  Cor.  5  ;  19. 

> See  I  John  2 : 2,  original.  *  Isa.  52 :  15 ;  i  Pet.  2: 10/ 

•  3  Cor.  5 :  20. 


14        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Christ.  In  this  view  God  meets  Christ  for  man 
only  on  Ascension  day.  Another  school,  as  nar- 
rowly speculative  as  the  first,  interprets  God  senti- 
mentally and  finds  the  Christ  practically  serviceable 
for  impressing  men  but  not  essential  to  man's 
redemption.  The  theology  of  missions — the  the- 
ology that  produces  missions  and  is  fostered  by 
missions — interprets  God  as  revealed  in  Christ: 
**  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto 
Himselfr^  It  is  missions  that  have  done  most, 
although,  it  may  be,  largely  indirectly,  to  give 
currency  to  this  conception  of  God,  so  vital  in  the 
Christianity  of  our  time.  It  is  sometimes  thought 
that  the  Old  Testament  view  of  God  is  more 
largely  judicial.  But  we  must  remember  that  in 
the  Old  Testament  the  Redeemer  is  not  very 
clearly  distinguishable  from  Jehovah  God,  and 
when  a  "Daysman"  does  stand  between  man 
and  God  he  comes  from  Jehovah  and  as  the 
Servant  of  Jehovah  to  redeem  His  people — all 
people.  In  the  one  Old  Testament  passage  where 
the  Redeemer  is  the  Son  of  Jehovah  this  sonship 
is  of  the  essence  of  Jehovah.  The  Old  Testament 
i  bears  elaborate  evidence  that  God  moves  in  uni- 
versal love  to  men  for  centuries  before  He  is 
manifest  as  Immanuel — God-with-us.  Such  is 
the  theology  of  missions  which  take  their  rise 
in  the  heart  of  God.  An  exclusively  "  forensic 
theology  "  hindered  the  beginning  of  modern  mis- 

*  2  Cor.  5  :  19.  / 


The  Missionary  Idea  in  the  Bible         15 

sions ;  an  exclusively  sentimental  theology  ham- 
pers the  progress  of  missions. 

2.  The  historical  origin  of  missions  is  found  in 
the  work,  the  life,  the  command  of  Jesus  Christ 
projected  in  the  lives  of  His  followers.  Like 
every  other  "  fact  of  Christ "  missions  have  foun- 
dation and  preparation  in  the  prior  history  of 
God's  dealing  with  men,  recorded  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament. How  abundantly  this  is  true  we  hope  in 
some  measure  to  set  forth  in  these  studies.  The 
culmination  of  the  preparation  for,  and  the  histor- 1 
ical  beginning  of,  God's  out-reaching  for  a  lost 
world,  as  contrasted  with  what  we  may  call  His 
previous  down-reaching,  are  to  be  found  in  the 
Christ. 

In  the  fact  of  incarnation  there  lies  already  the 
implication  of  race  conquest.  And  since  God 
has  become  man  to  bring  men  to  God  it  must  be 
that  as  men  become  identified  with  this  redeeming 
God  they  will  extend  and  hasten  His  endeavor. 

As  the  Light  enlightens  men  they  must  them- 
selves shine  forth  as  luminaries  among  men.^  In 
the  Prologue  of  John's  Gospel  ^  there  is  the  clearest 
identification  of  the  Word  with  the  entire  race  of 
men,  and  not  with  any  one  section  of  it.  His  pre- 
incarnate  relations  are  presented  with  no  limita- 
tions but  with  the  most  emphatic  universalism. 
To  be  sure  in  His  earthly  life  the  Logos  comes  to 
"  that  which  was  His  own  "  ;  but  there  is  immedi- 

'  Cf.  Phil.  2 :  15 ;  Matt.  5 ;  14.  « John  i :  1-18. 


i6        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

ately  revealed  a  deep  contrast  between  this  provi- 
dential and  potential  ownership  and  that  vital  and 
actual  ownership  which  alone  He  recognizes. 
Those  of  His  own  that  received  Him  must  have 
His  "  authority  to  become  children  of  God,"  and 
as  such  children  need  a  nature  "  not  of  blood, 
nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man, 
but  of  God."  "The  Word  became  flesh,"  not 
Jew,  nor  Greek,  nor  Barbarian,  but  essential  hu- 
manity. Again  we  read,  "No  man  hath  seen  God 
at  any  time,"  Jewish  man  and  Greek  man  in- 
cluded without  distinction  ;  and  to  all  classes  "  the 
only  begotten  Son  who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the 
Father  hath  declared  Him." 

Missions  mean  that  every  one  who  comes  to  the 
bosom  of  the  Son,  and  so  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
Father,  in  his  turn  also  declares  Him  to  mankind. 

Various  events  connected  with  the  advent  of 
the  Son  of  God,  in  the  infancy  of  Jesus,  proclaim 
the  universalism  of  His  mission.  In  the  records 
of  Matthew  and  Luke  in  the  midst  of  simple- 
hearted  Jewish  people,  cherishing  the  best  ele- 
ments of  a  too  narrow  Messianism,  we  seem  to  be 
moving  in  an  atmosphere  of  universalism.  The 
conscious  concepts  of  Zecharias  and  Joseph,  of 
Elizabeth  and  Mary,  of  the  shepherds  and  of 
Anna  may  well  enough  have  been  limited  to  Jew- 
ish redemption  ;  but  they  were  spiritual  concep- 
tions and  as  such  must  needs  express  themselves 
in  terms  that  most  readily  lead  to  universal  appli- 


The  Missionary  Idea  in  the  Bible         17 

cations.  In  these  days  of  the  Son  of  God  to 
express  their  thoughts  angels  and  men  drew  on 
the  prophets  of  universal  Messianism,  Daniel  and 
Isaiah,  and  the  Messianic  psalms.  Mary  discerns 
that  in  her  Son  God  will  fulfill  His  word  of 
"  mercy  towards  Abraham  and  his  seed  forever,"  ^ 
a  word  which  God,  certainly,  meant  to  include 
blessing  for  all  mankind. 

The  Angel  Chorus  ^  was  of  a  universal  peace, 
however  it  seemed  to  the  shepherds.  Simeon,  by 
special  warrant  awaiting  the  sight  of  the  Lord's 
Christ,  when  he  held  Him  at  length  in  his  arms, 
blessed  God  and  said  : 

'* .     .     .     Mine  eyes  have  seen  Thy  salvation 
Which  Thou  hast  prepared  before  the  face  of  all 
peoples^ 

A  light  for  revelation  to  the  Gentiles 
And  the  glory  of  Thy  people  Israel."  ^ 
He  puts  first  the  "  revelation  to  the  Gentiles," 
reversing  the  order  of  Isaiah,  in  both  42  : 6  and 
49  :  6.  In  the  visit  of  the  Magi  and  their  worship* 
there  is  universalism,  in  the  fact  itself,  in  the  neces- 
sary antecedents  of  the  fact  and  in  the  inevitable 
consequences  of  their  visit  and  the  knowledge 
with  which  they  returned  to  their  own  lands. 

The  work  of  Jesus,  although  technically  limited 
to  *'  the  lost  sheep  of  the  House  of  Israel,"  ^  never- 
theless   constantly   transgressed    current    Jewish 

»  Luke  1:55.  '  Luke  2  :  14.  '  Luke  2 :  30-32. 

*  Matt.  2 :  I  fif.  6  Matt.  15  :  24. 


i8        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

ideals  and  in  some  examples,  at  once  prophetic 
and  characteristic,  went  beyond  the  limits  of  His 
assigned  mission.  Thus  was  His  work  true  to 
the  essential  universalism  of  its  spirit,  a  spirit  that 
did  not,  because  it  could  not,  fail  to  impress  all 
classes  in  His  own  generation.  Jesus  aroused  the 
enmity  of  His  opposers,  the  suspicions  of  His 
friends,  and  the  hopes  of  the  aliens,  that  in  His 
thinking  and  work  man,  and  not  Jew  merely,  was 
the  aim. 

In  the  teaching  of  Jesus,  both  in  its  general 
terms  and  principles  and  in  specific  precept.  He 
laid  the  foundation  for,  and  enjoined  upon  all  His 
followers,  universal  missionary  work.  Leaving 
details  for  later  exposition  it  will  be  sufficient  now 
to  note  the  general  facts.  The  Jewish  leaders  had 
more  than  an  instinctive  feeling  that  in  the  word 
and  work  of  this  Teacher  lay  the  germs  of  a  uni- 
versal love  and  aim  incompatible  with,  and  de- 
structive of,  exclusive  privileges  for  themselves 
and  their  nation.  It  was  in  large  measure  His 
liberalism  that  inspired  their  hatred  and  urged 
them  on  to  accomplish  His  death. 

Jesus*  favorite  designation  of  Himself  was 
"  Son  of  Man."  His  choice  may  well  have  been 
influenced  by  the  fact  that  this  was  the  character- 
istic Messianic  term.  That  it  identified  Him  with 
every  man  and  all  men  was  a  stronger  reason  and 
was  also  the  explanation  of  the  employment  of  the 
term  by  the  prophets.     Jesus  has  ever  in  mind  the 


The  Missionary  Idea  in  the  Bible         19 

needs  of  man  when  He  interprets  the  Law,  the 
traditions,  the  obUgation  of  the  Sabbath,  His  own 
message,  and  His  death  that  will  draw  all  men 
unto  Him. 

-  It  is  in  the  effort  of  His  followers  to  interpret 
their  Master's  mind  that  we  have  the  four  Gospels 
which  set  forth  the  universal  Gospel  distinctly 
conceived  to  be  aggressively  designed  for  all 
humanity. 

3.  The  practical  origin  of  missions.  If  ulti- 
mately missions  arise  from  the  heart  of  Him  who 
is  "  Lord  of  all  and  rich  unto  all  that  call  upon 
Him ; "  ^  if  historically  missions  begin  in  the  life 
and  word  of  the  Son  of  Man  who  is  come  to  seek 
and  to  save  that  which  was  lost ;  continuously 
missions  spring  from  the  very  spirit  of  our  relig- 
ion. In  its  very  essence  Christianity  is  a  propa- 
ganda. It  goes  forth  for  conquest  in  the  name  of 
its  Lord.  The  Christian  is  full  of  loving  concern 
for  men  and  emptied  of  selfish  aims.  In  a  world 
of  need  he  is  a  channel  of  supply  ;  in  a  world  of 
darkness,  himself  some  time  darkness,  he  is  now 
light  in  the  Lord  ^  and  must  illuminate  the  dark- 
ness ;  in  a  world  of  death  he  is  an  agent  of  Life. 

The  Christian  life  is  a  life  begun  and  sustained 
by  the  Holy  Spirit.  But  the  Holy  Spirit  is  first  of 
all  the  witness-bearer  of  Jesus  the  Redeemer.^  It 
cannot  but  be  that  Christians,  too,  bear  witness 
when  they  know  Jesus.     Whenever  Christianity 

»Rom.  10 :  12.  2Eph.  ^  ;  8.  »  John  15 :  26;  16: 13^ 


20        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

has  been  true  to  its  origin  and  faithful  to  its  spirit, 
wherever  it  has  been  spiritual — marked  by  the 
Spirit's  presence — it  has  been  crying,  in  the  wil- 
derness, of  the  kingdom  of  God  come  among  men. 
^\  There  is  no  separation  of  the  missionary  impulse 
•from  a  true  and  vital  Christianity.  The  anteced- 
ent conditions,  the  initial  facts,  the  continuous  ex- 
perience of  any  one  into  whom  the  life  of  God  has 
come  all  move  him  to  make  known  his  Saviour. 

III.  The  Text-book  of  Missions 
■^  For  the  student  in  the  theory  of  missions  the 
Bible  is  the  text-book.  Here  is  the  record  of  the 
preparation  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  its  prin- 
ciples and  its  progress.  Not  that  the  story  of  the 
kingdom  is  to  be  found  only  here.  Had  the  his- 
tory of  the  race  and  of  its  nations  and  tribes  been 
written  from  the  same  standpoint  as  the  Scriptures 
all  would  be  an  account  of  the  unfolding  and  devel- 
opment of  God's  plan  of  Redemption  for  all  men 
by  the  Man,  Christ  Jesus.  For  indeed  "  all  his- 
tory is  just  His  story."  ^  The  child  of  the  kingdom 
is  free  thus  to  read  history  and  for  such  a  reading 
the  returns  are  great.  For  such  reading  the  mis- 
sionary study  of  the  Bible  is  the  preparation.  The 
principles  set  forth  in  the  Bible  find  illustration 
and  elucidation  in  the  stories  of  the  nations.  In  a 
special  degree  is  this  true  also  of  the  history  of 
Christianity,  in  its  achievements  and  its  failures, 
1  Dr.  A.  T.  Pierson. 


The  Missionary  Idea  in  the  Bible         21 

in  its  allegiance  to  the  spirit  of  the  Master  and  its 
lapses  from  the  ideals  of  His  kingdom.  Ecclesias- 
tical history  should  properly  be  a  study  of  missions. 

In  the  history  and  the  practice  of  missions  various 
theories  of  missions  arise  which  are  to  be  tested 
and  corrected  by  the  principles  found  in  the  Bible.  • 
It  will  not  fall  within  the  plan  of  these  studies  to 
present  and  discuss  the  various  theories  except 
incidentally  or  as  they  vitally  affect  the  teaching 
of  the  Word  of  God.  These  studies  will  not  con- 
tend for  but  aim  to  exhibit  the  Bible  teaching  con- 
cerning missions. 

In  the  Bible  as  the  missionary  text-book  we  find, 
characterizing  its  general  spirit  and  emphasized 
in  definite  passages,  the  missionary  thought  in 
God's  heart,  the  missionary  message  in  Christ's 
atonement,  the  missionary  duty  in  our  Lord's  i^- 
commands,  the  missionary  motive  in  the  nature  of 
the  redeemed  life,  the  missionary  task  in  a  "  world 
lying  in  the  evil  one,"  *  the  missionary  power  in 
"  the  Holy  Spirit  whom  God  hath  given  to  them 
that  obey  Him,"  ^  the  missionary  goal  in  **  the  day 
of  Jesus  Christ."  ^ 

When  we  designate  the  Bible  the  text-book  of 
missions  we  mean  to  affirm  more  than  that  the  duty 
and  plan  of  missions  may  be  found  in  the  Bible. 
They  must  be  found  there  in  any  true  and  ade- 
quate reading  of  the  Word.  Jesus  grounded  in 
the  Old  Testament,  as  well  as  in  His  own  direct 

M  John  5:  19.  «Acts5:32.  »  Phil,  i  :  6. 


22        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

authority,  the  universal  scheme  of  religion  which 
He  presented  to  His  followers  and  the  realization 
of  which  He  entrusted  to  them.  Paul  and  the 
other  Apostles  appealed  to  the  sacred  Scriptures 
in  support  of  their  course  and  their  ideals  in  seek- 
ing to  save  all  men  and  make  them  subject  to 
the  will  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.  The  answer  to 
Jewish  narrowness  was  the  Jews'  Bible. 

If  the  Old  Testament  furnished  our  Lord  grounds 
for  His  plans  and  commands  to  conquer  the  world 
in  His  name,  all  the  more  is  the  New  Testament 
missionary.  It  is  first  of  all  a  product  of  the  mis- 
sionary work  of  the  early  Christians  and  it  was 
produced  primarily  to  meet  the  needs  of  this 
work. 

What  else  is  the  Book  of  Acts  than  an  inspired 
account  of  first  experiences  in  executing  the  com- 
mission under  the  impulse  and  guidance  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  ?  What  Jesus  "  began  "  ^  to  do  in  His 
personal  ministry  He  continues  in  the  person  of 
His  disciples  under  the  power  of  His  Spirit.  The 
introduction  to  Acts  tells  how  the  Ascension  hour 
message  of  Jesus  was :  "  Ye  shall  receive  power 
when  the  Holy  Spirit  is  come  upon  you ;  and  ye 
shall  be  My  witnesses,  both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in 
all  Judaea  and  Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost 
part  of  the  earth."  ^  The  Book  then  occupies  itself 
with  telling  of  the  coming  of  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  of  the  witnessing  commanded  by  the 

»Actsi:i.  8Actsi:8. 


The  Missionary  Idea  in  the  Bible         23 

Master,  with   its   results.     Thus  Acts   constitutes  ^ 
the  first  chapter  in  the  story  of  Christian  missions, 
their  inauguration  and  early  progress. 

When  and  why  were  the  Gospels  written  ? 
When  the  extent  and  conditions  of  witnessing 
to  Jesus  made  it  impracticable  longer  to  rely  on 
the  verbal  accounts  concerning  Him  to  whom  the 
missionaries  gave  their  witness :  to  preserve  the 
true  message  and  to  make  it  accessible  to  reading 
men  the  evangelists  committed  to  writing  "those 
things  which  had  been  fully  established  "  upon  the 
testimony  of  *'  them  who  from  the  beginning  were 
eye-witnesses  and  ministers  of  the  Word."  ^ 

Mark,  first  of  all,  wrote  "  An  Introduction  to  the 
Good  News  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God."  ^ 

By  recording  facts  from  the  life  of  Jesus  and 
comparing  them  with  Old  Testament  prophecies 
Matthew  proves  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  of  God. 
His  aim  is  not  alone  to  prove  that  Jesus  is  the 
Messiah  of  Jewish  hope  but  that  He  is  the 
Messiah  of  the  Divine  promise  and  plan,  a  much 
larger  meaning. 

Luke  gives  a  universally  adapted  account  of  the 
character  and  work  of  the  Son  of  Man  setting  up 
God's  kingdom  in  men  to  take  possession  of  the 
world. 

John  wrote  when  the  Apostolic  interpretation 
of  Jesus  was  questioned.  He  wrote  among  Gen- 
tiles for  the  needs  of  a  missionary  work  already 

*  Luke  I :  if.  ^  The  correct  rendering  of  Mark  i :  i. 


24        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

world-wide.  He  takes  from  his  knowledge  of  the 
earthly  life  of  the  Lord  a  few  critical,  characteristic 
incidents  and  teachings  for  the  announced  purpose 
"that  the  readers  might  be  led  to  believe  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God ;  and  that  in 
this  belief  might  have  life  in  His  name."  ^  So 
the  Gospels  are  all  missionary  tracts  setting  forth 
the  Gospel  that  its  conquests  might  be  extended 
and  its  work  confirmed. 

Of  the  **  General  Epistles,"  James  is  for  the  in- 
struction of  the  mission  converts  in  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  Gospel ;  i  and  2  Peter  and  Jude  are  to 
encourage  the  mission  converts  under  persecutions 
and  to  secure  their  faithful  adherence  under  ad- 
verse circumstances ;  i  John  is  designed  to  show 
the  grounds  of  assurance  in  Christ  in  the  face  of 
corrupting  theories  of  sin  by  which  the  converts  of 
the  second  half  of  the  first  century  were  beset; 
2  John  most  probably  to  commend  and  warn  a 
mission  church ;  3  John  is  to  encourage  and  ap- 
prove a  brother  who  in  a  church  that  opposed 
missionary  work  had  worthily  supported  the  mis- 
sionaries even  under  penalty  of  excommunica- 
tion. 

Paul's  epistles  were  all  called  for  by  the  needs 
of  his  missionary  labors  to  follow  up  the  work 
he  had  begun ;  to  maintain  the  purity  of  the 
Gospel  against  corruptions  in  doctrine  and  life ; 
to  defend  his  own  missionary  apostleship  against 

*JoHn  20  :  31. 


The  Missionary  Idea  in  the  Bible        25 

the  assaults  of  the  Judaizers ;  to  expound  the 
universal  principles  of  the  Gospel ;  **  to  reprove, 
to  rebuke,  to  exhort,  with  all  long-suffering  and 
teaching,"  *  the  children  whom  he  **had  begotten 
through  the  Gospel."  ^  Three  of  his  letters  are 
addressed  to  younger  missionaries  to  give  them 
warning  and  instruction  for  their  work  "  that  they 
might  speak  the  things  befitting  sound  teaching  " 
and  **  commit  the  same  to  faithful  men  who  should 
be  able  to  teach  others  also,"  and  thus  to  secure 
the  perpetuity  of  the  work.* 

Hebrews  is  a  missionary  apologetic  for  meeting 
the  hindering  contentions  of  the  Jewish  religion, 
and  is  a  marvellously  well-adapted  document  for 
use  among  Catholic  peoples  in  our  day,  as  well 
as  a  fine  illustration  of  the  true  method  of  dealing 
with  any  religion  which  must  be  met  and  sup- 
planted by  Christian  missions. 

The  Revelation  belongs  to  the  time  when  the 
terrible  Roman  persecutions  were  seeking  to 
destroy  the  results  of  the  first  generation  of  mis- 
sionary labors.  It  is  full  of  encouragement  for 
the  time  and  of  prophecy  of  the  outcome  of  the 
proclamation  of  "  the  everlasting  Gospel."  *  / 

If  there  had  been  no  commission,  or  no  obe- 
dience to  its  spirit,  there  would  have  been  no  need 
for  the  New  Testament  writings  and  no  occasion 
for  their  production.     A  product  of  missions,  the 

»  2  Tim.  4:2.  »  I  Cor.  4:15. 

3  Cf.  I  Tim.  6;  2of. ;  Titus  2:  i,  2;  Tim.  2:2.        < Rev.  14 :  6. 


26        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

New  Testament  can  be  truly  interpreted  only  in 
the  light  of  the  missionary  idea. 

If  our  view  of  the  Bible's  relation  to  missions  is 
correct  it  will  manifestly  be  impracticable  to  set 
down  and  expound  every  passage  containing  or 
affecting  the  missionary  enterprise.  Nor  is  that 
needful.  We  shall  undertake  to  follow  the  great 
ideas  of  Scripture  teaching  upon  this  subject,  pre- 
senting them  by  means  of  quotation  or  reference 
and  with  exposition  of  characteristic  passages. 


II 

THE   MEANING   OF  MISSIONS  TO  GOD— THEIR 
AUTHOR 

WE  have  laid  stress  on  the  fact  that  God 
is  the  Author  of  missions.  World-wide 
redemption  is  not  an  afterthought  but 
a  part  of  the  eternal  purpose  of  the  Heavenly 
Father.  God's  relation  to  this  idea  and  its  execu- 
tion will  appear  more  emphatically  as  we  inquire 
what  missions  mean  to  God. 

I.  First  of  all  we  read  that  missions  is  the 
method  by  which  God  is  now  carrying  forward  His 
''plan  of  the  ages''  Let  us  turn  here  to  Ephe- 
sians  3  :  1-13.  At  this  point  the  Apostle  a  second 
time  in  this  epistle  comes  to  record  a  prayer  for 
the  saints  in  Asia.  "  For  this  cause/'  he  says. 
"  This  cause "  is  set  forth  in  chapters  i  and  2, 
wherein  the  plan  of  God  for  world-wide  redemp- 
tion is  wonderfully  set  forth,  showing  how  "  now 
in  Christ  Jesus  ye  that  once  were  far  off  are  made 
nigh  in  the  blood  of  the  Messiah.  For  He  is  our 
peace  who  made  the  two  one  by  destroying  the 
fragment-making  wall,  enmity,  when  in  His  flesh 
He  rendered  inoperative  the  law  of  commands 
merely  dogmatic "  :  and  this  with  the  end  "  that 
the  two  (great  divisions  of  the  race)  He  might  in 

27 


28        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Him  (Christ)  create  into  one  new  humanity,  mak- 
ing peace.  And  (the  prior  and  further  fact)  He 
would  reconcile  both  elements  in  the  one  body 
(the  new  humanity)  to  God  by  means  of  the 
cross."  ^  For  men  who  had  in  themselves  the 
work  and  the  witness  of  this  reconciling  Messiah 
Paul  will  pray  now,  as  he  has  prayed  already. 
But  wait  a  moment  1  This  prayer  has  to  do  with 
eternal  ideas  and  everlasting  issues.  We  shall 
not  yet  hear  the  petition.  The  Apostle  will  make 
sure  that  his  readers  enter  into  the  spirit  of  his 
prayer  and  so  he  will  again,  and  more  specifically, 
set  forth  the  ground  on  which  such  a  prayer  is  to 
be  offered.  Hear  him :  "  If  indeed  you  grasped 
the  content  of  the  dispensation  of  God's  favor 
which  was  given  to  me  with  reference  to  you,  that 
by  revelation  was  made  known  to  me  the  secret 
(so  remote  was  it  from  the  thought  of  men  that 
God  must  bring  it  to  us  by  special  word)  as  in- 
deed I  wrote  briefly  a  bit  ago,  by  referring  to 
which  (see  Ch.  i  :  3-14,  especially  11-14)  you 
can  see  my  insight  into  the  secret  of  the  Messiah, 
the  secret  which  to  other  generations  was  not 
made  clear  to  the  children  of  men  as  now  it  is 
uncovered  by  the  Holy  Spirit  for  His  holy  Apostles 
and  prophets :  the  secret  being  that  the  Gentile 
peoples  are  an  inheritance  jointly,  a  part  of  the 
body  and  joint  participants  of  the  promise  which 
is  contained  and  realized  in  Christ  Jesus  by  means 

lEph.  2:  13  ff. 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  God         29 

of  the  Gospel  message ;  of  which  Gospel  I  came 
to  be  a  minister  by  the  free  gift  of  God's  grace, 
bestowed  on  me  in  accordance  with  His  mighty- 
energy.  To  me,  then,  the  less  than  least  of  all 
saints,  was  given  this  grace,  to  the  peoples  to  pro- 
claim in  my  Gospel  the  immeasurable  wealth  of 
the  Messiah  and  to  bring  the  light  of  true  inter- 
pretation upon  what  is  the  real  mission  of  the 
secret  that  from  the  ages  preceding  has  been 
hidden  in  God,  the  Creator  of  all  things ;  that 
mission  being  that  now,  at  length,  by  means  of 
His  Church  God's  remarkably  varied  wisdom  may 
be  made  known  to  the  principalities  and  author- 
ities in  the  heavenly  spheres.  All  this  revelation  of 
God's  covered  wisdom  in  the  dark  problems  of 
hopeless  peoples  in  sinless  ages,  now  illuminated 
by  the  open  secret  of  a  universal  love  in  a  glor- 
ious Gospel  for  all,  is  in  exact  accord  with  a  plan 
of  the  ages,  which  (plan)  God  made  in  His  Mes- 
siah, Jesus,  our  Lord,  in  whom  we  have  boldness 
and  access — in  our  universal  undertaking — in  the 
confidence  of  His  faith.  So  I  ask  you  not  to  be 
in  distress  over  my  suffering  tribulations  over 
you  Gentiles  (heathen),  for  it  is  your  glory  to  have 
such  a  Gospel  and  I  can  readily  suffer  to  reveal 
this  glory." 

Having  made  such  an  explanation  as  a  basis  for 
its  intelligent  comprehension,  Paul  now  comes  to 
resume  the  prayer — itself  briefer  than  the  exposi- 
tion of  its  ground  (verses  14-21).     The  prayer  we 


30        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

shall  study  later.     Let  us  now  briefly  examine  the 
words  preparatory  to  the  prayer. 

Paul  takes  the  common  New  Testament  position 
that  •*  God  constructed  *  the  ages '  in  Christ."  ^  The 
plan  on  which  God  is  constructing  these  ages — 
epochs  in  His  world  drama — has  been  concealed 
from  even  the  highest  intelligences  in  heavenly 
relationships.  Now  the  Messiah  has  come,  with 
reference  to  whom  and  by  whose  active  agency 
all  is  made  and  moved.  And  to  the  missionary 
apostles  and  prophets  the  key  to  this  plan  is  now 
revealed.  It  is  not  a  "  mystery  "  in  the  sense  of 
being  complicated  and  difficult  of  apprehension. 
Rather  its  very  simplicity  has  been  in  part  its  ob- 
scurity. The  key  to  understanding  all  God's  dark 
dealings  through  the  ages  is  simply  a  universal 
love  going  out  in  redemptive  purpose.  Jesus  had 
expressed  it  in  His  life  and  in  that  sentence  ra- 
diant with  revealing  hope  and  glory  :  **  God  so 
Loved  the  World  that  He  Gave  His  Only-begot- 
ten Son  that  Whosoever  believeth  in  Him  might 
not  perish  but  have  Everlasting  Life."  To  Paul 
God  had,  in  grace,  given  special  discernment  into 
the  wonderful,  universal  bearings  and  implications 
of  this  key-secret  to  God's  ways,  now  put  into  the 
hands — aye  the  hearts  and  heads,  of  all  who  will 
come  after  Jesus  Christ.  What  he  has  heard  in 
the  ear  the  Apostle  now  peals  forth  from  the 
housetop.     His    way  of   stating  "  the  secret "  is 

»  Heb.  1 :  2,  Greek. 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  God         31 

that  the  Gentiles  share  in  God's  thought  with  the 
Israelites  in  being  God's  inheritance,  Christ's  body, 
recipients  of  Messianic  promise.  This  he  will 
have  all  men  see  while  heaven's  people  look  on  in 
admiring  wonder. 

Paul  perceives  that  in  Gentile  Christians  lies  the 
hope  of  comprehending,  and  of  applying  too,  for 
this  is  vasdy  important,  the  universalism  of  the 
good  news  of  God's  love.  So  he  makes  this 
prayer  for,  and  this  appeal  to,  Gendle  Christians. 
In  Romans '  Paul  tells  us  that  this  is  a  detail  of  the 
plan  of  God. 

The  preaching  of  the  Gospel  to  all  men  means 
much  to  God.  The  progress  of  His  age  plan  in 
Christ  Jesus  depends  upon  it.  Another  age — it 
may  be  other  ages— are  to  follow  this  of  mission- 
ary proclamation  of  the  Christ  to  all  men.  The 
next  age  waits  on  the  completion  of  this.  God's 
vindication  for  allowing  a  world  with  sin,  before 
"  the  principalities  and  powers  in  the  heavenly  re- 
lationships," depends  upon  the  outcome  of  this 
age  wherein  is  to  be  made  known  to  the  peoples 
the  wealth  of  the  Messiah,  which  God  declares,  by 
Paul,  to  be  past  tracing  out.  Missions  mean 
much  to  God. 

2.  Missions  is  a  method  by  which  God  will  real- 
ize the  end  of  His  dealing  with  the  nations  and 
tribes  of  men.  This  is,  to  be  sure,  but  another 
way  of  looking  at  "  the  plan  of  the  ages,''     Here 

*Rom.  11 :  11-36. 


32        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

we  have  to  do  with  the  historic  growth,  the  polit- 
ical development,  the  ethnographical  distribution 
of  men. 

The  success  of  the  missionary  work  is  essential 
to  the  proper  outcome  of  God's  control  of  the  peo- 
ples of  the  earth.  This  control  is  a  constant  as- 
sumption of  the  Bible  and  finds  frequent  assertion. 
It  has  always  been  necessary — still  is  needful — that 
men  remind  themselves  that  God  has  never  de- 
serted any  class  or  race,  nor  abrogated  His  claim 
to  them,  nor  surrendered  His  control  over  them. 
This  truth  is  to  be  seen  alike  in  God's  general 
providential  dealings  with  men  and  in  the  facts 
and  history  of  the  Elect  Race.  After  all,  the  chief 
difference  between  Israel  and  other  peoples  is  two- 
fold :  (i)  in  the  purpose  for  which  God  used  each 
people  in  His  plan,  and  (2)  the  manner  of  writing 
the  histories.  Israel's  history  is  written  from  the 
theocratic  standpoint  and  would  read  very  dif- 
ferently if  written  from  the  **  secular "  viewpoint, 
as  so  many  would  seem  to  prefer  to  have  it  writ- 
ten. So  also  would  the  history  of  Greece,  of  Baby- 
lon, of  Rome,  of  England,  of  America  read  very  dif- 
ferently from  our  present  reading  of  it  if  we  had  it 
written  from  God's  standpoint  by  a  historian  by  in- 
spiration made  competent  to  interpret  God's  hand 
and  heart  in  the  careers  of  these  peoples. 

Paul  states  the  principle  here  involved  in  Acts 
17:22-31.  Speaking  to  the  cultured  but  idola- 
trous Athenians,  the  Apostie  recognizes  their  re- 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  God         33 

ligiousness  as  a  basis  of  appeal  for  true  religion 
(22),  finding  in  their  **  Altar  to  an  Unknown  God'* 
a  blind  groping  after  **  the  God  that  made  the 
world  and  all  things  therein,  the  Lord  of  heaven 
and  earth  "  (23-24),  whose  true  relation  to  all  men 
the  Apostle  proceeds  to  teach :  "He  Himself 
giveth  to  all  life  and  breath  and  all  things  ;  and 
He  made  of  one  every  race  of  men  to  dwell  upon 
all  the  face  of  the  land,  having  marked  off  seasons 
appointed  for  them  and  the  assigned  limits  of  their 
habitation,  for  them  to  seek  the  God,  if,  in  this  prov- 
idential arrangement  they  might,  indeed,  feel  after 
Him  and  find,  while  to  be  sure  He  remains,  from 
the  start,  not  distant  from  each  one  of  us ;  so  near 
in  fact  that  in  Him  is  our  living,  our  activity,  our 
very  existence,  a  truth  announced  by  some  of  your 
own  poets,  where  we  read,  *  For  we  are  also  His 
offspring '  "  (25-28). 

Paul  concludes  against  idolatrous  conceptions  of 
God  (29),  and  returns  to  his  main  theme  ;  "  God, 
being  such  in  nature  and  relations  to  men  (o2ii>) 
overlooked  the  times  of  such  ignorant  worship 
and  preserved  you  to  the  present  time  and  con- 
ditions (t«  vuv)  wherein  He  commands  men  that 
they  shall  all  everywhere  repent  inasmuch  as  He 
has  set  a  day  in  which  He  is  meaning  to  judge 
the  inhabited  world  in  righteousness  in  the  per- 
son and  standard  of  a  man  whom  He  designated, 
furnishing  to  all  an  assurance  of  this  by  raising 
this  man  from  the  dead  "  (30-31). 


34        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Note  the  Apostle's  claims :  (a)  All  men  have 
a  religious  sense  leading  towards  God,  even  when 
He  is  unknown  ;  (d)  God  is  the  maker  of  all  and 
is  not  to  be  worshipped  materially  as  if  in  need  for 
He  gives  to  all  men  all  that  they  have  including 
life  and  its  activities  and  powers ;  (c)  God  made 
all  men  of  a  common  stock  and  has  in  all  a  com- 
mon interest,  concern  and  control ;  (d)  The  con- 
trol of  God  over  men  extends  to  a  determination 
of  the  time  and  place  they  occupy  in  the  history 
of  the  world  of  nations,  and  to  intimate,  supporting 
presence  with  each  individual;  (e)  The  purpose 
of  God  in  these  relations  to  men  is  that  they  may 
seek  Him,  feel  after  Him,  find  Him ;  (/)  Be- 
cause God's  purpose  is  such  He  does  not  destroy 
men  while  in  ignorance  they  are  making  false  steps 
in  the  worshipful  search  but  comes  at  length  to 
meet  them,  as  in  this  case,  by  the  missionary,  with 
clear  revelation  of  the  Gospel ;  (g)  God  now 
lays  on  men,  all,  everywhere,  the  call  to  repent- 
ance, enforcing  it  with  the  menace  of  a  righteous 
judgment  in  Jesus  Christ  whose  resurrection  from 
the  dead  is  assurance  to  all  men  of  the  fact  that 
this  call,  and  its  judgment-warning,  is  from  God. 

There  can  be  no  question  that  Paul  here  puts  all 
men  on  the  same  basis  before  God  and  affirms  most 
strongly  that  God  is  the  God  of  all  men,  has  never 
deserted  any  class  or  race,  has  not  abrogated  His 
claim  to  any,  has  not  surrendered  His  control 
over  any,  and  that  the  good  news  of  His  seeking 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  God         35 

men  in  the  Saviour  is  intended  for  all,  as  also  is 
the  warning  of  the  judgment. 

Application  of  this  principle  to  the  missionary 
enterprise  abounds  in  the  Scriptures.  Perhaps  it  is 
most  abundant  in  Isaiah  where  it  constitutes  one 
of  the  characteristic  features  of  that  Book.  In  the 
first  part  it  appears  in  the  **  Burdens "  of  the 
nations,  in  the  predictions  of  the  Son  to  be  born 
for  universal  rule,  and  in  numerous  specific  state- 
ments that  foreigners  shall  share  the  blessings  of 
redemption.  In  the  second  part  the  promises  and 
prophecies  concerning  the  servant  of  Jehovah,  the 
words  of  cheer  to  the  desolate  Israel,  the  visions  of 
the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth  are  at  every 
turn  made  to  include  all  who  shall  learn  faith 
among  all  peoples,  and  they  shall  be  very  many. 
As  examples  of  such  teaching  we  may  read  44 :  24- 
45  •  25,  where  all  phases  of  Divine  control,  general 
and  particular,  are  affirmed  and  the  end,  salvation 
offered  to  all,  distinctly  set  forth  ;  60 :  1-14,  where 
Zion  is  called  to  **  Arise,  shine*'  upon  the  darkness 
of  the  nations  who  will  come  to  her  light,  and  a 
glorious  vision  is  presented  of  the  multitudes  com- 
ing from  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  ;  and  again 
66  :  18-24,  where  we  read  that  God  takes  knowl- 
edge of  men's  works  and  thoughts.  He  will  gather 
all  nations  and  tongues  to  witness  His  glory  and 
will  set  among  them  a  sign  ;  that  such  as  are 
saved  will  be  sent  to  declare  God's  glory  among 
the   nations   that  have  not  yet  heard  His  fame 


36        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

nor  seen  His  glory,  and  that  when  these  mission- 
aries bring  their  "  brethren  out  of  all  nations  "  '*  of 
them  also  will  I  take  for  priests  and  for  Levites, 
saith  Jehovah."  When  priests  and  Levites  are 
taken  from  all  the  nations  it  will  mean  that  the 
people  of  these  nations  have  come  to  worship 
Jehovah.  That  missions — the  proclaiming  among 
all  men  of  the  kingdom  of  God — is  the  end  of 
God's  dealing  with  the  nations  is  evident  in  the 
teaching  concerning  both  general  providence  and 
election.  Possibly  there  is  less  of  essential  dis- 
tinction between  providence  and  election  than  we 
usually  think. 

Besides  the  typical  passage,  already  studied,  in 
Acts  17,  Paul  has  an  instructive,  almost  startling, 
passage  in  Galatians  4:1-9.  "  But  I  say  for  so  long 
a  time  as  the  heir  is  a  minor  child  he  differs  noth- 
ing from  a  bond-servant,  though  lord  of  all ;  but 
is  under  the  control  and  care  of  guardians  and 
household  stewards  until  such  time  as  is  designated 
by  his  father.  So  in  the  case  of  us  Jews — chil- 
dren of  the  promise  that  we  were — there  was  a 
childhood  period  when  we  were  as  slaves  under 
the  training  of  the  elements  of  the  world — leading 
a  life  that,  except  for  its  hopes,  was  the  same  with 
that  of  all  natural  men.  Then  when  the  training 
period  was  completed  and  God's  right  time  came 
He  sent  out  His  one  real  Son  to  have  a  human 
birth  and  a  life,  like  ours,  under  law  in  order  that 
He  might  redeem  us  who  were  under  law  so  that 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  God         37 

we  should  receive  our  sonship.  Now  while  we, 
Israelites,  were  in  the  position  of  a  minor  son  you. 
Gentiles,  were  in  the  position  of  a  slave — the  two 
positions  being,  remember,  in  no  wise  different. 
And  in  the  fullness  of  time  you,  too,  have  been 
made  sons.  And  because  ye  are  sons  God  has 
sent  out  the  Spirit  of  His  One  Son  into  our  hearts 
(Jews'  hearts,  Gentiles'  hearts,  all  alike,  and  so 
our  hearts),  crying,  this  Spirit  of  God's  Son  in  us, 
Abba,  Thou  Father.  So  that  thou  art  no  longer 
slave  but  son,  and  if  son  also  heir  through  God. 
It  is  through  God  in  the  case  of  both.  But  then, 
during  the  slave  days,  you,  because  you  did  not 
know  God,  enslaved  yourselves  to  them  that  in 
their  nature  are  not  gods,  though  you  took  them 
for  such.  But  now  that  you  have  made  God's  ac- 
quaintance, or  rather,  as  we  have  seen  the  truth  to  be 
in  the  case  of  us  all,  since  you  have  been  recognized 
by  God,  how  are  you  turning  back  again  to  the 
poor  sickly  elements  such  as  belong  to  minor  sons 
and  to  which  you  would  but  be  in  another  bond- 
age?" 

One  nation  was  in  the  condition  of  a  minor  son 
while  the  rest  were  as  servants  in  the  house,  but 
all  were  alike  in  the  mind  of  God.  To  all  there 
came  '*  the  fullness  of  the  times"  when  in  God's  re- 
deeming plan  God  took  knowledge  of  them,  recog- 
nized them  as  ready  for  sonship.  At  this  stage 
the  Son  of  God  came  in  person  to  the  son-race 
and  came  in  the  Gospel  of  His  Son  to  all  the  races, 


38        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

and  as  they  are  sons  sends  forth  the  Spirit  of  His 
Son  into  our  hearts  to  teach  us  to  address  our 
God  as  the  Father.  Such  is  Paul's  teaching  of 
God's  plan  with  the  races  of  men.  On  this  princi- 
ple Paul  proceeded  in  his  own  labor  as  we  see, 
for  example,  in  Acts  13  :  46-48. 

As  Paul  in  this  last  instance  found  in  Isaiah  the 
ground  for  his  teaching  we  may  well  turn  to  that 
prophecy  also.  Among  many  statements  setting 
forth  this  teaching  look  at  three : 

Isaiah  56  :  1-8.  The  righteous  must  hold  fast  to 
their  faith  and  courage  **  for  My  salvation  is  near 
to  come,  and  My  righteousness  (near)  to  be  re- 
vealed. .  .  .  Neither  let  the  foreigner  that 
hath  joined  himself  to  Jehovah,  speak,  saying, 
*  Jehovah  will  surely  separate  me  from  His  peo- 
ple,' "  thinking  that  even  if  allowed  to  worship  and 
blessed  in  the  worship  they  must  still  expect  God 
to  give  them  a  position  subordinate  to  the  Chosen 
People.  Not  so,  but  '*  also  the  foreigners  that  join 
themselves  to  Jehovah,  to  minister  unto  Him,  and 
to  love  the  name  of  Jehovah,  .  .  .  will  I  bring 
to  My  holy  mountain,  and  make  them  joyful  in 
My  house  of  prayer  ;  ...  for  My  house  shall 
be  called  a  house  of  prayer  for  all  peoples.  The 
Lord  Jehovah,  who  gathereth  the  outcasts  of  Israel, 
saith,  Yet  will  I  gather  others  to  him  to  be  added 
to  Israel's  own  that  are  gathered." 

Isaiah  66  :  18-21.  "It  shall  come  to  pass  that 
I  will  gather  all  nations  and  tongues ;  and  they 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  God         39 

shall  come  and  see  My  glory."  The  method  of 
doing  this  is  described :  *'  I  will  set  a  sign  among 
them  and  such  of  them  as  escape  by  this  sign  will 
I  send  unto  the  nations,  .  .  .  and  they  shall 
declare  My  glory  among  the  nations."  All  the 
redeemed  shall  be  one,  for  these  missionaries  "  shall 
bring  all  your  brethren  out  of  all  the  nations. 
.  .  .  And  of  them  also  will  I  take  for  priests, 
for  Levites,  saith  Jehovah."  Priests  and  Levites 
from  all  nations  speak  significantly  of  nations 
sanctified  and  worshipping  Jehovah. 

Isaiah  5 1  :  4-5.  Jehovah's  Servant  has  accepted 
His  humiliation  and  set  Himself  for  suffering,  for 
judgment,  for  salvation  (50 :  4-1 1).  The  work  has 
begun  with  hope  in  Israel  (51  :  1-3).  Now  "At- 
tend unto  Me,  O  My  peoples ;  and  give  ear  unto 
Me,  O  My  nation ;  for  a  law  shall  go  forth  from 
Me,  and  I  will  establish  My  justice  for  a  light  of 
the  peoples.  My  righteousness  is  at  hand,  My 
salvation  is  already  gone  forth  to  do  its  work,  and 
Mine  arms  shall  judge  the  peoples."  So  compre- 
hensive is  this  plan  and  work  that  not  only  will  it 
embrace  the  populous  lands  but  even  **  the  isles 
shall  wait  for  Me  and  put  their  reliance  on  Mine 
arm."  The  coming  of  the  Christ  is  God's  plan 
for  each  people  whose  life  He  maintains  on  the 
earth.     They  wait  for  Him. 

The  goal  of  God's  dealing  with  the  nations  will 
receive  new  emphasis  if  we  examine  it  in  relation 
to  the  national  election  of  the  Hebrew  people. 


40        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

How  these  people  themselves  interpreted  their 
election  will  be  examined  elsewhere  and  does  not 
here  concern  us.  What  did  God  mean  by  it  ?  is 
now  our  question. 

First  of  all  let  us  see  this  election  in  its  origin, 
Genesis  12:1-4.  "Now  Jehovah  said  unto 
Abram,  *  Get  [thee  out  of  thy  country,  and  from 
thy  kindred,  and  from  thy  father's  house,  unto  the 
land  that  I  will  show  thee  ;  and  I  will  make  of  thee 
a  great  nation,  and  I  will  bless  thee,  and  make  thy 
name  great ;  and  be  thou  a  blessing ;  and  I  will 
bless  them  that  bless  thee  and  him  that  curseth  thee 
will  I  curse ;  and  in  thee  shall  all  the  families  of 
the  earth  be  blessed.'  So  Abram  went  as  Jehovah 
had  spoken  unto  him."  In  the  second  verse  Je- 
hovah gives  a  threefold  statement  of  the  promise 
to  bless  Abram  and  then  solemnly  commands 
him  :  '*  And,"  by  consequence  and  as  the  end  of 
your  blessing,  *'  be  thou  a  blessing."  He  must  by 
the  measure  of  this  '*  great  nation "  and  *'  great 
name  "  and  **  blessing  "  bless  others.  He  is  sepa- 
rated from  other  men  to  become  a  source  and  centre 
of  blessing  for  all  men.  The  idea  and  the  command 
are  now  enforced  by  a  new  form  of  statement  in 
verse  three :  "I  will  bless  them  that  bless  thee." 
Their  blessing  will  come  in  their  seeing,  apprecia- 
ting and  respondmg  to  the  Source  of  your  blessing. 
"  And  him  that  curseth  thee  will  I  curse."  Abram 
will  then  become,  and  his  posterity,  the  standard  for 
judgment  among  men.     Through  them  will  God 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  God         41 

make  known  His  character,  in  blessing  and  in 
curse,  among  men.  And  the  outcome :  "  In  thee 
shall  all  the  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed."  It  is 
idle  to  try  to  obviate  the  Messianic  meaning  of  this 
call  to  Abram  by  rendering  this  last  climactic  as- 
surance **  shall  bless  themselves "  and  then  limit- 
ing its  significance  to  a  sort  of  vague  form  of  pro- 
nouncing or  perceiving  blessings.  Besides  the 
unworthiness  of  such  an  idea,  it  has  no  fulfillment 
in  fact  and  could  not  have  been  expected  to  have 
any.  God  called  Abram  and  Israel  to  be  the 
channel  of  a  race  redemption.  We  shall  see  how 
this  idea  was  reasserted  to  each  of  the  Patriarchs. 
Turn  now  to  Exodus  19  :  3-6.  The  newly-made 
nation  stands  just  across  the  Red  Sea  that  buried 
their  day  of  bondage  and  upon  the  threshold  of 
a  national  history.  God  calls  Moses  to  Mount 
Sinai  to  get  the  law  of  the  nation's  life.  Hear  His 
very  first  word  :  **  Jehovah  called  to  him  out  of 
the  mountain,  saying,  *  Thus  shalt  thou  say  to  the 
house  of  Jacob  and  tell  the  children  of  Israel :  Ye 
have  seen  what  I  did  unto  the  Egyptians,  and  how 
I  bare  you  on  eagles'  wings,  and  brought  you 
unto  Myself.  Now,  therefore,  if  ye  will  obey  My 
voice  indeed,  and  keep  My  covenant,  then  shall 
ye  be  Mine  own  possession  from  among  (or  above) 
all  peoples  :  for  all  the  earth  is  Mine ;  and  ye  shall 
be  unto  Me  a  kingdom  of  priests,  and  a  holy  na- 
tion. These  are  the  words  which  thou  shalt 
speak  unto  the  children  of  Israel."*     Note  how 


42        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

solemnly  this  first  message  from  the  mount  is  in- 
troduced and  ended.  How  brief  a  message  it  is  I 
And  how  significant !  The  law  of  the  national 
life,   religious   life,   social   life   is   not  yet  given. 

First  let  Israel  get  her  bearings.  First  let  the 
people  learn  the  reason  for  their  separate  existence. 
Let  them  hear  the  meaning  of  their  past  preserva- 
tion and  their  future  career.  It  was  God  who  had 
acted  on  them  and  on  the  Egyptians.  He  had 
brought  the  children  of  Israel,  not  to  Canaan,  not 
to  glory,  but  "to  Himself."  Now  their  future  as 
peculiarly  His  own  people  will  depend  upon  their 
obeying  genuinely  His  voice  and  keeping  His 
covenant — covenant  inherited  through  Abraham 
and  to  be  made  anew  with  the  nation.  Such  was 
His  character  and  such  His  plan  with  Israel  that 
only  thus  could  He  afford  to  make  them  His  spe- 
cial own,  above  all  peoples,  as  they  reflected  His 
character  and  manifested  His  glory  among  men. 
They  must  not  forget  that  all  the  earth  is  His  and 
all  its  peoples.  If  He  takes  this  one  tribe  to  His 
heart  for  the  time  it  is  not  to  forget  the  rest  but  to 
do  good  to  all.  His  aim  is  that  Israel  shall  serve 
Him  as  a  kingdom  of  priests,  a  nation  set  apart  to 
prophetic  service.  But  when  the  priest  and  the 
prophet  are  a  nation,  the  people  for  whom  they 
minister  and  to  whom  they  prophesy  are  the  other 
nations.  Abraham's  call  lies  at  the  basis  of  Is- 
rael's election  in  the  plan  of  God. 

Did  the  nation  miss  the  function  of  its  priest- 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  God         43 

hood  and  forget  to  be  holy  among  the  people  un- 
til destruction  overcame  them  and  they  faced  a 
decimating  captivity,  because  Jehovah's  plan  and 
purpose  were  not  served  by  them  ?  Must  Jehovah 
declare  unto  them :  "  Thy  first  father  sinned,  and 
thy  interpreters  (who  should  have  made  thee  see 
the  meaning  of  thine  election)  have  transgressed 
against  Me.  Therefore  will  I  make  the  holy 
princes  profane  and  I  will  make  Jacob  a  curse, 
and  Israel  a  reviling"?  ^  Yet  is  there  an  elect 
within  the  Elect,  who  will  be  Jehovah's  chosen 
servant.  To  this  servant  Jehovah  has  yet  a  mes- 
sage. Isaiah  44 :  1-8 :  "  Fear  not  O  Jacob  My 
servant ;  and  thou  Jeshurun  whom  I  have  chosen. 
For  I  will  pour  water  upon  the  thirsty  land  and 
streams  upon  the  dry  ground.  I  will  pour  My 
Spirit  upon  thy  seed,  and  My  blessing  upon  thine 
offspring."  What  result  will  follow  this  outpour- 
ing of  the  Spirit  in  blessing  ?  Why  '*  they  shall 
spring  up  among  the  grass,  as  willows  by  the 
watercourses,"  and  in  all  parts  be  eager  to  own 
Jehovah.  **  One  shall  say,  I  am  Jehovah's ;  an- 
other shall  call  out  by  the  name  of  Jacob ;  and  an- 
other write  his  name  down  as  belonging  to  Je- 
hovah and  take  on  Israel  as  a  surname,"  exactly 
as  happens  every  day  under  the  missions  of  the 
Gospel. 

How  shall  it  come  about  ?    Jehovah,  the  King 
of  Israel,  the  Redeemer,  Jehovah  of  Hosts,  de- 

» Isa.  43 :  25-28. 


44        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

clares  to  this  elect  few  who  thirst  for  Him  and 
wait  for  Him  that  He  alone  is  God,  first  and  last 
(verse  6),  but  will  have  some  who,  in  His  stead, 
"  shall  call,  and  shall  declare  it  and  set  it  in  order 
for  Me  "  (the  history  of  His  revelation  of  Himself), 
"  since  I  established  the  ancient  people ; "  and 
these  representatives  of  Jehovah  must  "  declare 
the  things  that  are  coming,  and  that  shall  come  to 
pass "  (verse  7).  For  this  work  the  discerning 
elect  are  ready  :  "  Fear  ye  not,  neither  be  afraid  ; 
have  I  not  declared  unto  thee  of  old  and  showed 
it  ?  "  Have  no  fear  for  the  future  since  My  word 
has  been  fulfilled  in  the  past  and  is  fulfilled  in  you 
who  stand  before  Me  to-day,  "And  ye  are  My 
witnesses."  "  Is  there  a  God  beside  Me  ?  Yea, 
there  is  no  Rock ;  I  know  not  any  "  (verse  8).  So 
you  must  proclaim  Me  to  the  peoples  that  are 
without  God.  This  relation  of  the  faithful  ones  to 
Jehovah  and  their  function  in  His  plan,  appear 
strongly  stated  in  Isaiah  43  :  8-13. 

National  priesthood  is  taught  clearly  also  in 
Isaiah  61  :  4-6.  Already  in  Isaiah  is  it  appearing 
that  the  priestlyj  prophetic  people,  God's  true  Elect, 
are  something  more  than,  and  other  than,  a  political 
entity  among  the  nations  and  the  "  people  for  God's 
own  possession  "  appear  in  their  true  light  in  the 
New  Testament.  Their  function  remains  the  same, 
more  clearly  understood,  and  in  their  new  capacity 
they  are  free  to  discharge  this  function,  as  they 
could  not  be  while  national  hopes  and  national 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  God         45 

needs  hampered.  Peter  takes  up  exactly  this  idea 
of  election  and  applies  it  to  the  Christians  in 
I  Peter  2:9-10:  *'  Ye  are  an  elect  race,  a  royal 
priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  people  for  especial 
ownership,  in  order  that  ye  may  announce  out 
from  yourselves  the  excellencies  of  Him  who  called 
out  of  darkness  into  His  marvellous  light ;  you 
who  formerly  were  a  no  people  (of  God)  but  now 
are  God's  people,  who  were  those  who  had  not 
obtained  mercy,  but  now  have  obtained  mercy.'* 
The  Apostle  proceeds  to  exhort  that  this  **  pecuUar 
people"  shall  have  their  "behavior  seemly  among 
the  heathen  peoples,"  so  that  by  beholding  the  be- 
havior of  the  people  of  God,  these  "  may  glorify 
God  in  the  day  of  visitation." 

Once  again  does  the  function  of  collective  elec- 
tion appear  in  the  vision  of  the  Lamb  taking  the 
Book  of  God's  redeeming  plan  from  the  Father's 
hand  to  open  its  seals  before  the  hosts  about  the 
throne  (Rev.  5).  **  And  when  He  had  taken  the 
Book,  the  four  living  ones  (forces  of  nature)  and 
the  four  and  twenty  elders  (representative  re- 
deemed ones  from  Israel  and  from  the  Gentiles) 
fell  down  before  the  Lamb.  .  .  .  And  they 
sang  a  new  song,  saying  :  Worthy  art  Thou  to 
take  the  book  and  to  open  its  seals ;  for  Thou 
wast  slain  and  didst  purchase  unto  God  with  Thy 
blood  men  of  every  tribe,  and  tongue,  and  people, 
and  nation  and  madest  them  to  be  unto  our  God 
a  kingdom  and  priests  ;  and  they  reign  upon  the 


46        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

earth."  Then  when  the  whole  universe  has  joined 
a  chorus  of  praise  to  the  Lamb,  **  the  four  living 
ones  said,  Amen.  And  the  elders  fell  down  and 
worshipped  "  on  account  of  the  revelation  and  of 
the  Revealer  and  the  Executor  of  the  plan  of  re- 
demption, viz.^  the  taking  of  some  elect  from 
among  all  peoples  and  making  them  the  head  of 
the  whole  race  to  bring  in  the  blessings  of  Jehovah 
upon  all. 

3.  Taking  a  further  step,  completing  the  view 
of  God  in  the  nations  and  in  the  race,  we  find,  in 
/  the  third  place,  that  missions  are  God^s  method  of 
bringing  humanity  to  its  idealy  its  destiny.  This 
will  have  appeared  in  some  of  the  passages  already 
studied  and  is  involved  by  the  whole  spirit  of  God's 
message.  God  moving  in  humanity  must  bring 
humanity  to  its  destiny,  and  God  makes  known 
His  presence  and  His  ends  among  men  by  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel.  In  the  vision  of  the 
Lamb  we  were  just  now  studying  (Rev.  5),  when 
"  the  living  ones  "  and  **  the  elders ''  had  sung 
their  new  song  of  the  redemptive  plan  then  "  ten 
thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and  thousands  of 
thousands  "  of  angels  joined  in  another  song  of 
praise ;  **  and  every  created  thing  which  is  in 
heaven  and  on  earth  and  under  the  earth,  and  on 
the  sea,  even  all  things  that  are  in  them  "  John 
heard  saying,  "  Unto  Him  that  sitteth  on  the 
throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  be  the  blessing,  and 
the  honor,  and  the  glory,  and  the  dominion,  unto 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  God         47 

the  ages  of  the  ages."  This  plan,  now  revealed, 
would  perfect  God's  work  of  redeeming  and  sub- 
jecting all  in  harmony  unto  Him  forever. 

When  "the  Word  became  flesh  and  dwelt 
among  us,  full  of  grace  and  truth  "  (John  i  :  14) 
our  humanity  had  its  seal  of  sanctification  to  a 
divine  destiny  to  be  realized  when  of  the  race  it 
can  be  said  **  For  of  His  fullness  we  all  received 
and  grace  upon  grace"  (John  i  :  16). 

We  have  seen  already  how  in  His  own  body  as 
the  unifying  agent  and  ideal  our  Christ  will  build 
up  of  redeemed  men  of  all  ages  and  lands  a  spir- 
itual body  that  will  constitute  under  God  a  *  *  new 
humanity"  (Eph.  2  :  15). 

The  closing  vision  of  the  Book  of  Isaiah 
(66  :  22-24)  is  of  "  the  new  heaven  and  the  new 
earth "  which  Jehovah  will  make,  and  as  they 
"  shall  remain  before  Me,  saith  Jehovah  (as  the 
goal  and  end  of  My  work  among  men)  so  shall 
your  seed  and  your  name  remain  (as  the  centre 
and  agency  through  which  the  new  order  is 
brought  forward).  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
(with  this  ideal  and  this  seed  ever  before  Jehovah) 
that  from  one  new  moon  to  another,  and  from 
one  Sabbath  to  another,  shall  all  flesh  come  to 
worship  before  Me,  saith  Jehovah.  And  they  shall 
go  forth  and  look  upon  the  dead  bodies  of  them 
that  have  transgressed  against  Me,  for  their  worm 
shall  not  die,  neither  shall  their  fire  be  quenched  ; 
and  they  shall  be  an  abhorring  unto  all  flesh." 


48        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

For  when  all  is  done  that  men  will  allow  by  the 
testimony  of  the  Gospel  God's  punitive  power 
will  expel  from  the  body  of  the  living  all  the 
rebels.  Now  let  us  keep  in  mind  that  this  final 
word  of  **the  Evangelical  Prophet"  follows  im- 
mediately on  his  vision  of  a  universal  missionary 
campaign,  employing  missionaries  from  all  lands 
to  declare  Jehovah's  glory  among  the  nations 
(verses  18-21). 

John's  vision  of  "a  new  heaven  and  a  new 
earth"  (Rev.  21-22)  is  significant  for  that  its 
inhabitants  are  men,  not  angels  and  seraphs.  The 
New  Jerusalem  is  not  above  to  which  men  are 
carried  but  "  comes  down  out  of  heaven  from 
God "  and  is  heralded  with  the  announcement, 
**  Behold  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men  and 
He  shall  dwell  with  them  and  they  shall  be  His 
peoples  (plural)  and  God  Himself  shall  be  with 
them,  their  God."  ^  We  are  not  now  undertaking 
to  set  up  any  theory  of  the  order  of  events  mark- 
ing the  close  of  the  Gospel  age  and  bringing  in 
the  new  age  of  glory.  Of  that  we  shall  see  in  the 
last  chapter.  What  we  here  read  from  the  Word 
is  that  "  According  to  God's  promise  we  look  for 
a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth  wherein  dwelleth 
righteousness."  ^  This  is  God's  ideal  for  the 
human  race  and  so  its  destiny.  The  delay  to 
consummate  this  end  by  the  might  of  His  power 
is  due  to  God's  patient  love  towards  men,  "  not 

» Rev.  21 ;  2-3.  ^  »  2  Peter  3  :  13. 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  God         49 

wishing  that  any  should  perish,  but  that  all  should 
come  to  repentance."  ^  It  is  God's  call  to  us  who 
**  look  for  these  things  to  give  diligence  that  we 
may  be  found  spotless  and  blameless  in  His  sight " 
and  to  draw  the  right  practical  conclusion  that  the 
patient  delay  of  our  Lord  has  for  its  meaning  the 
extension  and  completion  of  His  salvation,  '*  even 
as  our  beloved  brother  Paul  wrote  unto  us,  ac- 
cording to  the  wisdom  given  him."  ^  Paul  has 
touched  upon  this  point  in  many  places.  Peter's 
reference  is  perhaps  to  Romans  2.  Bearing  more 
specifically  on  our  present  point  is  the  passage  in 
Romans  8  :  19-22.  The  passage  is  an  incidental, 
illustrative  argument  in  a  longer  paragraph  ^  deal- 
ing with  the  full  sanctification  of  believers  in 
Christ.  As  explaining,  in  a  way,  the  glory  to  be 
uncovered  ultimately  upon  believers  we  read : 
**  For  the  dear  desire  and  expectation  of  the  cre- 
ation (the  goal  of  the  world-making)  awaits,  for 
its  realization,  the  uncovering  of  God's  sons.  For 
the  creation  was  brought  under  the  present  mad- 
ness, because  of  a  hope  that  even  the  creation 
itself  shall  be  freed  from  the  slavery  of  corruption 
and  delivered  into  the  freedom  of  the  glory  of 
God's  children  :  the  subjection  not  being  a  willing 
one  but  accomplished  through  Him  that  subjected 
it."  This  present  **  natural  order "  so  full  of  ap- 
parent disorder  as  to  seem  to  be  under  vain  law 
or  lack  of  law  is  part  of  a  process  to  a  glorified 

1  2  Peter  3:9.  »  Cf.  2  Peter  3 :  14  f.  »  Verses  18-25. 


50        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

creation.  But  the  new  order  cannot  come  until 
God's  sons  have  been  disclosed,  made  manifest, 
out  of  and  in  the  midst  of  the  disorder.  How  Paul 
expected  this  to  be  accomplished  is  partly  set 
forth  in  the  marvellous  argument  ^  from  which  our 
passage  is  taken ;  partly  also  by  his  own  labors 
and  teachings  to  bring  all  men  to  a  knowledge  of 
the  truth.  He  "  endured  all  things  for  the  elect's 
sake  that  they  too  may  obtain  the  salvation  which 
is  in  Christ  Jesus  in  the  midst  of  the  eternal 
glory."  2 

In  beginning  the  missionary  campaign  com- 
mitted by  the  ascending  Lord  to  His  followers, 
when  the  Holy  Spirit  had  come  upon  them  with 
the  promised  power,  Peter's  first  word  in  the  new 
undertaking,  in  explanation  of  the  remarkable 
conduct  of  the  believers,  was  the  announcement 
that  this  was  the  fulfillment  of  God's  word  by  Joel,^ 
and  so  inaugurated  a  campaign  in  which  God 
would  pour  forth  of  His  Spirit  upon  all  flesh,  an 
era  in  which  salvation  will  be  offered,  upon  faith, 
to  all- classes  and  peoples  ;  "  whosoever  shall  call 
upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved."  * 
Whether  Peter  comprehended  the  full  import  of 
the  prophecy,  the  first  chapter  of  whose  transla- 
tion into  history  he  was  now  opening,  does  not 
signify.  In  obedience  to  the  command  of  Christ 
and  by  the  impulse  of  the  Holy  Spirit  he  was 

*  Rom.  5-8.  «  2  Tim.  2 :  lo. 

8  Joel  a :  28  ft  *  Acts  2  :  14-21.  '-^ 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  God         51 

inaugurating  a  method  by  which  God  was  mov- 
ing towards  His  goal  for  humanity. 

Finally,  of  God's  destiny  for  men  read  the 
Eighth  Psalm  and  study  its  interpretation  in 
Hebrews  2.  Indeed  may  we  say :  We  see  not 
yet  all  things  subjected  unto  man  but  we  see  Jesus, 
identified  in  all  things  with  human  men,  whom  He 
now  calls  His  brothers  and  for  whom,  every  man 
of  them,  He  has  tasted  death ;  we  see  Him  **  for 
the  suffering  of  death  crowned  with  glory  and 
honor,"  and  **  through  death  bringing  to  nought 
him  that  hath  the  power  of  death,  that  is  the 
devil,  that  He  may  deliver  all  them  who  through 
the  fear  of  death  were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to 
bondage."  ^ 

4.  Missions  thus  appear  to  be  the  message  of 
God^s  love  to  men.  One  of  the  significant  features 
of  heathen  religions  is  their  failure  to  conceive  of 
the  love  of  their  gods.  Apart  from  the  Gospel 
this  is  also  largely  true  of  the  religions  of  Jehovah, 
Judaism  and  Mohammedanism.  They  serve  with 
the  bondage  of  the  letter,  not  with  the  freedom  of 
the  spirit.  There  were  many  in  Israel  through 
the  centuries  who  rose  to  the  evangelical  idea  of  a 
God  who  loves  good  men  and  chosen  men  ;  and 
some  even  had  a  dim  idea  of  God's  love  for  bad 
men — the  only  kind,  as  the  truth  is  about  men. 
Jesus  revealed  the  heart  of  the  Father  and  told,  in 
many  a  parable,  of  a  love  that  goes  to  seek  and  to 

iSee  Heb.  2;9ff. 


52        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

save  that  which  was  lost.  He  spoke  of  the 
shepherd  seeking  the  one  lost  sheep  out  of  a  hun- 
dred, of  the  woman  in  grief  until  the  lost  coin  lay 
again  in  her  box,  of  a  father  rejoicing  over  the 
home-coming  of  a  prodigal  son  and  grieved  that 
the  brother  did  not  share  the  joy.  All  of  which 
Jesus  repeatedly  declared  means  that  there  is  joy 
in  the  presence  of  the  angels  over  one  sinner  that 
repenteth.  That  "  in  the  presence  of  the  angels  " 
means  in  the  Father's  heart. 

Jesus  pitched  His  ministry  and  His  mission  on 
the  fact  that  He  was  here  because  "  God  so  loved 
the  world  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son  " 
and  was  careful  that  His  disciples  should  not 
think  of  the  Father  as  less  loving  than  Himself. 
It  was  out  of  the  Father's  bosom  that  Jesus  came, 
and  abiding  in  that  bosom  of  the  Father  He 
revealed  God.  The  law  could  be  given  through 
Moses ;  grace  and  truth  came  through  Jesus 
Christ' 

We  are  not  now  thinking  of  what  God's  love 
means  to  men  but  of  what  men  mean  to  God's 
love.  Missions  is  the  method  by  which  that  love 
revealed  in  Jesus  is  made  known  to  the  race. 
This  is  God's  way  of  reconciling  the  world  unto 
Himself.  That  going  out  of  God  after  sinning, 
ignorant  men  is  a  conception  of  Deity  found 
nowhere  outside  an  evangelistic,  missionary  Chris- 
tianity.    Only  two  other  religions  are  at  all  mis- 

1  Cf.  John  1 :  17  f. 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  God         53 

sionary  and  neither  of  these  has  the  least  concep- 
tion of  bearing  a  love  message  from  the  Father- 
God. 

Isaiah  55  is  truly  interpreted  only  as  a  universal 
call  of  a  God  of  tender  compassion.  The  prof- 
fered covenant  is  "  the  sure  mercies  of  David  " 
whom  Jehovah  had  **  given  for  a  witness  to  the 
peoples,  a  leader  and  commander  to  the  peoples  " 
(verse  4).  (Note  the  plurals.)  Nations  are  now  to 
be  called  and  will  run  unto  Jehovah's  Servant  "  be- 
cause of  Jehovah  thy  God,  and  for  the  Holy  One 
of  Israel ;  for  He  hath  glorified  thee  "  (verse  5). 

Paul  shows  how  **  when  we  were  yet  weak  at 
the  opportune  moment  Christ  died  in  behalf  of 
men  ungodly.  For  scarcely  for  a  righteous  man 
will  one  die,  yet  for  the  good  man  some  one,  per- 
haps, might  dare  to  die.  But  God  commendeth 
His  love  towards  us  in  that  while  we  were  yet  sin- 
ners Christ  died  for  us."  ^  God  commendeth  His 
love  to  us  sinners !  "  But  God  being  rich  in 
mercy,  for  His  great  love  wherewith  He  loved  us 
even  when  we  were  dead  through  our  trespasses,"  ^ 
is  another  statement  of  that  fact  basal  to  the  mis- 
sionary idea  and  work.  "  God,  our  Saviour 
would  have  all  men  to  be  saved  and  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth."  ^  The  missionary  must 
labor  and  strive  because  he  has  his  hope  set  on 
the  living  God  who  is  the  Saviour  of  all  men.* 

1  Rom.  5  :  6-8.  >  Eph.  2 :  4. 

3  I  Tim.  2:4.  *  I  Tim.  4 :  10. 


54        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

He  is  therefore  long-suffering  towards  men  "  not 
wishing  for  any  to  perish  but  for  all  to  come  to 
repentance."  ^  This  wish  of  God  sent  His  Son  to 
the  world  and  sends  the  Gospel  of  His  Son  to  the 
uttermost  parts  of  the  earth.  **  Herein  is  love,  not 
that  we  love  Him  but  that  He  loved  us  and  sent 
His  Son  as  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,"  "  and 
He  is  the  propitiation  .  .  .  not  for  our  sins 
alone  but  also  for  the  whole  world."  ^  This,  then, 
is  one  meaning  of  missions,  God's  chosen  way  of 
revealing  His  love  to  a  world  that  is  in  the  death  of 
sin  ;  and  because  God's  love  wants  this  sinful  world. 
5.  One  other  thought  of  the  significance  of 
/missions  to  God  ;  they  are  God^sway  0/  fulfilling 
His  eternal  promises  to  His  Son.  Other  methods 
He  will  use,  but  for  this  age  and  for  our  religious 
duty  this  is  the  method,  most  clearly  commanded, 
most  practically  available  and  most  universally 
applicable  to  all  Christ's  followers.  God  is  at 
work  through  all  the  civic  and  social  forces  of 
men  and  in  ways  we  know  not.  Increasingly 
is  He  employing  men  to  introduce  the  evangelistic, 
missionary  idea  into  "  secular  "  tasks,  so  that  men 
"  seek  first  the, kingdom  of  God  "  in  many  spheres. 
This  is  a  restoration  of  the  early  Christian  ideal 
of  the  use  of  the  missionary  method.  It  is  in  such 
inclusive  sense  we  use  the  term. 

Turning  now  to  the  Second  Psalm  we  find  in  it 
four    clearly   marked   sections.     The    first    three 

*  I  Peter  3:9.  »  l  John  4  :  lo. 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  God         55 

verses  sketch  a  vivid  picture  of  the  raging,  rebel- 
lious nations.  "  Jehovah  and  His  anointed " 
clearly  claim  the  right  of  rule  over  them  all  and 
their  claim  is  known  and  resisted.  This  is  the 
righteous  rule  of  the  moral  God  and  Maker  of 
men  that  they  seek  to  cast  aside. 

The  next  three  verses  speak  of  God's  attitude 
towards  the  rebellious  people.  He  could  well  af- 
ford to  make  sport  of  their  vain  ravings  and  im- 
potent rebellions  (4) ;  but  He  will  not  leave  them 
alone  but  will  rebuke  them  for  their  sin  and  bring 
them  into  trouble  through  their  sin  (5) ;  then  He 
cannot  leave  them  so  for  He  has  a  purpose  of 
righteous  love  and  His  honor  must  be  saved  even 
among  these  sinners  and  so  He  declares  :  "  yet," 
in  spite  of  their  violent  resistance,  and  of  the  neces- 
sary visitation  of  wrath, 

"  Yet  I  have  (in  plan  and  decree)  set  My  King 
upon  My  holy  hill  of  Zion  "  (6).  There  shall  yet 
be  a  rule  of  righteousness,  holiness  among  men. 
Beyond  the  nations'  sins  and  Jehovah's  wrath  lies 
the  reign  of  holiness. 

Verse  6  has  spoken  of  the  reserve  counsel  of 
God.  This  will  now  be  more  fully  presented  in 
three  verses : 

"  I  will  tell  of  the  decree  ; 

Jehovah  said  unto  Me,  Thou  art  My  Son ; 

This  day  have  I  begotten  Thee. 

Ask  of  Me  and  I  will  give  the  nations  for  Thine 
inheritance 


56        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

And  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  Thy 
possession. 

Thou  shalt  break  them  with  a  rod  of  iron  ; 

Thou  shalt  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's 
vessel. '* 

Did  the  devil  have  in  mind  this  promise  of 
eternal  decree  when  he  offered  our  Lord  at  the  be- 
ginning of  His  work  "  all  the  kingdoms  of  the 
world  and  the  glory  of  them "  ?  Surely  Jesus 
spoke  out  of  the  consciousness  of  this  eternal 
promise  when  He  said,  *'  All  authority  is  given 
unto  Me  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  Go  ye  there- 
fore, and  make  disciples  of  all  the  nations,"  and 
"  Ye  shall  be  My  witnesses  .  .  .  unto  the  ut- 
termost parts  of  the  earth."  And  so  Jesus  seems 
clearly  to  have  seen  that  the  Father's  gift  was  to 
be  realized  in  conquest  through  His  missionary 
witnesses.  This  method  is  also  implicit  in  the  last 
three  verses  of  our  Psalm,  where  a  gracious  invi- 
tation and  appeal  is  extended  to  the  rebels  to 
*'  serve  Jehovah  with  fear,"  **  to  kiss  the  Son  "  and 
"  take  refuge  in  Him  "  for  after  a  time  the  anger  will 
be  kindled  and  the  work  be  consummated  by  power. 

The  Twenty-second  Psalm  in  the  first  twenty- 
one  verses  sets  forth  the  sufferings  of  the  Messiah, 
while  the  remaining  verses  speak  of  His  accept- 
ance of  His  mission.  At  verse  27  the  vision  be- 
comes extensive  : 

"  All  the  ends  of  the  earth  shall  remember  and 
turn  unto  Jehovah ; 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  God         57 

All  the  kindreds  of  the  nations  shall  worship  be- 
fore Thee. 

For  the  kingdom  is  Jehovah^s  ; 

And  He  is  the  ruler  over  the  nations." 

When  Psalm  72  tells  of  "  The  Reign  of  the 
Righteous  King,"  some  expressions  are  used 
which  no  writer  could  imagine  exhausted  in  Sol- 
omon or  any  other  king,  or  even  applicable  to  any 
human  king,  as  verses  5,  17,  and,  hardly,  8,  11. 
When  applied  to  the  "greater  than  Solomon" 
they  hold  a  worthy  meaning  and  a  measured 
promise. 

For  repeated  statements  of  this  promise  one  has 
only  to  turn  to  Isaiah.  The  Servant  shall  suffer 
but  **  He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  His  soul  and 
shall  be  satisfied :  by  the  knowledge  of  Himself 
shall  My  righteous  Servant  make  many  right- 
eous." ^  More  specifically  in  42  : 1-13  do  we  fol- 
low the  promise.  Jehovah  "  upholds  Him,"  **  de- 
lights in  Him,"  "  puts  His  Spirit  upon  Him," 
**  He  will  bring  forth  justice  to  the  nations,"  He 
will  deal  gently  with  all  true  faith,  "  He  will  not 
fail  nor  be  discouraged  until  He  have  set  justice 
in  the  earth  ;  and  the  isles  (even)  shall  wait  for 
His  law"  (verses  1-4).  So  far  Jehovah  speaks 
about  His  Servant.  Now  (verses  5-9)  He  turns 
to  speak  to  Him.  First  He  describes  Himself  in 
power  and  authority :  then,  "I,  Jehovah,  have 
called  Thee  in  righteousness,  and  will  hold  Thy 
»  Isa.  53:11. 


58        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

hand,  and  will  keep  Thee,  and  give  Thee  for  a 
covenant  of  the  people,  for  a  light  of  the  na- 
tions ; "  then  follow  details  and  new  assurances. 

It  is  in  chapter  49  that  we  come  to  the  most 
definite  of  all  the  promises.  Here  the  Servant 
Himself  speaks  and  outlines  His  experiences  in  a 
way  marvellously  parallelled  in  the  career  of  Jesus 
and  His  followers.  Hear  Him  :  "  Listen  O  isles 
unto  Me  ;  and  give  heed  ye  peoples  from  far  (all 
the  world  is  called  to  hear) :  Jehovah  hath  called 
Me  from  the  womb ;  from  the  bowels  of  My 
mother  hath  He  mentioned  Me  by  name  (and  sig- 
nified the  (My)  character)  for  He  hath  made  My 
mouth  like  a  sharp  sword  ;  in  the  shadow  of  His 
hand  hath  He  hid  Me  (so  that  His  use  of  Me  was 
not  foreseen)  :  and  He  hath  made  Me  a  polished 
shaft  (devoting  special  care  to  Me  as  the  chief 
weapon  of  His  plans)  in  His  quiver  hath  He  kept 
Me  close  (as  precious  and  to  be  reserved  for  just 
the  right  crisis  in  His  warfare).  And  He  said  unto 
Me  (the  account  drops  the  figure  and  becomes 
personal),  Thou  art  My  Servant ;  Israel  (Prince 
of  God),  in  whom  I  will  be  glorified."  But  in  the 
actual  experiences  the  Servant  seems  to  find  these 
promises  failing :  **  But  I  said,  I  have  labored  in 
vain,  I  have  spent  My  strength  for  nought  and 
vanity  (How  often  might  it  well  have  seemed  so  to 
our  Lord  in  His  days  on  earth  and  since) ;  yet  (I 
must  not  give  up,  nor  lose  faith — must  *'  not  fail 
nor  be  discouraged  ")  surely  the  justice  due  Me  is 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  God         59 

with  Jehovah,  and  My  recompense  is  with  My 
God."  God  had  promised  success  in  the  enormous 
work.  It  comes  tardily.  God  has  an  answer  for 
His  Servant,  for  in  spite  of  appearances  Jehovah 
is  in  Him  and  honors  Him  :  **  Yea,  He  saith.  It 
is  too  light  a  thing  that  Thou  shouldst  be  My 
Servant  to  raise  up  the  tribes  of  Jacob  and  to  re- 
store the  preserved  of  Israel  (I  mean  to  go  quite 
beyond  that  with  you) :  I  will  also  give  Thee  for 
a  light  to  the  nations,  that  Thou  mayest  be  My 
salvation  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth.  Thus 
(further)  saith  Jehovah  (to)  Israel's  Redeemer,  His 
Holy  One,  to  Him  whom  men  (now)  despise,  whom 
His  own  nation  abhors,  and  who  is  for  the  time 
subject  to  earthly  rulers  :  Kings  shall  come  to  see 
who  and  what  He  is  and  shall  arise  unto  Him  ; 
princes,  too,  shall  worship  Him  ;  because  Jehovah, 
who  hath  chosen  Him,  will  keep  faithfully  His 
promise,  even  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  (the  Cove- 
nant-maker of  the  ages)."  How  Jesus  understood 
all  these  promises  and  applied  them  to  Himself ; 
how  His  life  and  the  career  of  His  kingdom  cor- 
respond to  the  promises  ;  how  He  laid  His  plans 
and  gave  His  commissions  in  accordance  with 
these  words  we  are  learning  more  and  more. 
Missions  is  the  plan  by  which  He  expected  His 
Father  to  fulfill  the  promises  and  it  is  the  method 
by  which  God  is  to-day  filling  up  the  measure  of 
the  hopes  of  "  the  travail  of  His  soul "  until  He 
"shall  be  satisfied." 


Ill 

THE   MEANING  OF  MISSIONS  TO  JESUS— THEIR 
FOUNDER 

WHAT  God  hath  eternally  planned  as  one 
great  stage  in  His  redemptive  working 
Jesus  inaugurated.  In  His  own  person 
He  revealed  the  attitude  of  God  towards  men 
in  a  sinful  world  ;  in  His  death  He  made  atone- 
ment for  the  world  and  framed  the  most  powerful 
appeal  within  the  power  of  God ;  in  His  words 
He  gave  the  message  for  all  men  and  in  His  au- 
thority He  provided  that  faithful  witnesses  shall 
tell  the  good  news  **  to  earth's  remotest  bounds." 
We  must  seek  to  see  in  some  measure  how  the 
missionary  age  and  plan  seemed  in  His  eyes. 

I.  Jesus  saw  as  His  own  work  and  the  mission 
of  His  missionaries  the  revealing  of  the  Father 
unto  the  world.  "The  word  became  flesh  and 
dwelt  among  us  and  we  beheld  His  glory,  glory 
as  of  the  only  begotten  from  the  Father."  ^  "  No 
man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time,  God  only  begot- 
ten, the  Son,  who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father 
(and  who  therefore  knows  God  as  the  Father)  He 
hath  manifested  the  Father."     Now  came  **  grace 

1  Cf.  John  1 :  14,  18. 

60 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  Jesus        61 

and  truth."  God  can  never  be  understood  until 
He  is  known  as  Father.^ 

The  prayer  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  must  be 
addressed  to  "  Our  Father."  ^  The  ideal  of  life  for 
the  kingdom  is,  "  Ye  therefore  shall  be  perfect  as 
your  Heavenly  Father  is  perfect."  ^  All  the  wor- 
ship of  the  kingdom  must  be  for  the  eye  of  "  your 
Father  who  seeth  in  secret."^  The  children  of 
the  kingdom  are  to  be  free  from  care  because 
**  your  Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of  all 
these  things,"  and  so  you  are  ever  to  ''  seek  first 
His  (the  Father's)  kingdom  and  His  righteousness." 
We  are  bold  in  prayer  for,  **  If  ye  then,  being  evil, 
know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children, 
how  much  more  shall  your  Father  who  is  in 
heaven  give  good  gifts  unto  them  that  ask  Him."  ^ 
And  it  is  because  you  sustain,  in  His  kingdom, 
such  a  relation  to  the  God  of  the  kingdom  that 
you  can  afford  and  are  bound  to  observe,  **  All 
things,  therefore  (N.  B.),  whatsoever  ye  would  that 
men  should  do  unto  you,  even  so  do  ye  also  unto 
them." ' 

Jesus  was  careful  to  keep  before  men  this  char- 
acter of  revealer  of  the  Father.  **  Jesus  cried  and 
said.  He  that  believeth  on  Me,  believeth  not  on 
Me,  but  on  Him  that  sent  Me.  And  He  that  be- 
holdeth  Me  beholdeth  Him  that  sent  Me.  I  am 
come  a  light  unto  the  world,  that  whosoever  be- 

1  Matt.  6:9.  »  Matt.  5  :  48.  *  Matt.  6  :  4,  6. 

<Matt.  6:32f.  «  Matt.  7:11.  sMatt.  7  :  12;  cf.  5:  II. 


62        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

lieveth  on  Me  may  not  remain  in  the  dark.  .  .  . 
For  I  spake  not  from  Myself ;  but  the  Father  that 
sent  Me,  He  hath  given  Me  a  commandment, 
what  I  should  say,  and  what  I  should  speak.  And 
I  know  that  His  commandment  is  life  eternal ;  the 
things  therefore  which  I  speak,  even  as  the  Father 
hath  said  unto  Me,  so  I  speak."  ^  When  the  Jews 
rejected  His  word  and  person,  Jesus  took  refuge 
in  the  hope  that  when  they  had  "  lifted  up  the  Son 
of  Man  "  they  would  know  that  He  was  the  true 
representative  of  His  Father.^  If  His  disciples  had 
gotten  to  know  Jesus,  they  would  have  known 
His  Father  too  :  "  And  from  henceforth  ye  have 
known  Him,  have  even  seen  Him."  Philip  spoke 
more  truth  than  he  knew  when  he  said,  "  Lord, 
show  us  the  Father  and  it  will  satisfy  us."  Jesus 
knew  exactly  that  to  know  the  Father  was  the 
satisfaction  of  the  world's  hunger.  ''Jesus  saith 
unto  him,  Have  I  been  so  long  time  with  you  and 
yet  hast  thou  not  known  Me,  Philip?  He  that 
hath  seen  Me  hath  seen  the  Father ;  how  sayest 
thou.  Show  us  the  Father  ?  Believest  thou  not  that 
I  am  in  the  Father  and  the  Father  in  Me,"  ^  and  He 
makes  a  touching  appeal  for  faith  in  the  Father 
through  Himself.  It  is  because  He  goes  to  the 
Father  that  the  •  disciples  can  do  greater  works 
than  the  Master  Himself  has  accomplished.  So 
Jesus  presses  home  on  the  hearts  of  His  mission- 
aries that   their  life  and  work  all  relate  to  the 

*  John  12 :  44-50.  2  John  8 :  28.  »  Cfc  John  14 :  6-12. 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  Jesus        63 

Father/  Then  He  makes  them  understand  that 
**  as  the  Father  sent  Him,  even  so  sends  He  them  " 
to  reveal  the  Father  unto  the  world.^  Jesus  felt 
that  His  work  was  complete  when  He  had  mani- 
fested the  Father's  name  unto  the  men  assigned 
to  Him  and  made  them  keep  the  Father's  word 
and  know  that  of  a  truth  Jesus  had  come  forth 
from  the  Father,  sent  by  Him  ^  and  His  lament  for 
the  world  is  that  it  has  not  known  the  righteous 
Father/  In  their  work  Jesus  will  insist  that  His 
missionaries  remember  that  "times  and  seasons 
the  Father  hath  set  within  His  own  authority."  ^ 
Jesus  knew  Himself  to  be  the  Son  whom  His 
Father,  having  appointed  Him  to  be  the  heir  of 
all  things,  sent  to  speak  unto  us  ;  the  effulgence 
of  God's  glory,  the  impress  of  His  substance,  who 
having  made  purification  of  sins,  sat  down  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high/  His  commis- 
sion to  make  disciples  of  all  the  nations  looked  to 
the  revealing  of  His  Father  to  all  men — for  the 
Father's  sake  first  of  all.  Through  missions  Jesus 
makes  the  world  know  His  Father. 

2.     Another  phase  of  our  Lord's  conception  of 
His  mission,  continued  in  His  missionaries,  was  ^ 
to  glorify  His  Father's  name  by  taking  away  from 
among  me7t   the  blasphemy  and  dishonor  of  that 
name  in  heathenism,  idolatry,  irreligion.     Prophet 

iCf.  John  14-16.  *  John  20:  21  and  cf.  17 :  18. 

3  Cf.  John  17  :  6-8.  <  John  17  :  25. 

6  Acts  I ;  7.  e  Heb.  i :  2-3. 


64        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

and  psalmist  in  Israel  had  been  taught  the  jealousy 
of  Jehovah  from  the  day  of  Moses.  "  He  would 
not  give  His  glory  to  another,  nor  His  praise  unto 
graven  images."  ^ 

The  first  table  of  the  law,  emphasizing  and 
guarding  the  honor  and  glory  of  Jehovah's  name 
lay  at  the  foundation  of  all  religion  of  spirit  and 
Hfe  in  the  Word  of  God.  No  preparation  so  fitted 
for  prophetic  leadership  as  did  the  vision  of  the 
holiness  of  God  and  of  the  withholding  of  the 
honor  due  His  name  by  sinful  peoples. 

Polytheism  and  idolatry  were  not  merely  fool- 
ish, bringing  the  worshippers  into  confusion  and 
shame,  but  were  an  insult  to  the  one  God  and  a 
robbing  Him  of  His  rightful  praise.  All  sin  of 
heart  and  conduct  was  a  profanation  of  what  God 
would  have  sanctified  and  was  an  offense  unto  the 
holiness  of  Him  who  "  could  not  look  upon  sin." 

When  the  Messiah  came  He  found  Himself  in 
the  midst  of  a  race  profaning  the  house  of  His 
Father,  the  religion  of  His  Father,  the  world  of 
His  Father,  the  name  of  the  Almighty  God.  He 
opened  and  closed  His  ministry  by  symbolical 
cleansings  of  the  Temple  in  Jerusalem  and  His 
disciples,  shortly  to  become  His  first  missionaries, 
remembered  that  it  was  written,  **  Zeal  for  Thine 
house  shall  eat  Me  up."  ^  And  the  word  in  the 
Psalm  quoted  ^  continued,  "  And  the  reproaches  of 
them  that  reproach  Thee  are  fallen  upon  Me." 

» Isa.  42 : 8.  » John  2 ;  17.  »  Cf.  69 ;  I.  . 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  Jesus        65 

Jesus  could  not  fail  to  see  Himself  set  to  fulfill 
the  prediction  that  ''  the  glory  of  Jehovah  shall  be 
revealed,  and  all  flesh  shall  see  it  together,  for  the 
mouth  of  Jehovah  hath  spoken  it"  ;  ^  words  that 
close  the  paragraph  applied  by  the  Baptist  to 
himself  as  **  the  voice  of  one  that  crieth  in  the 
wilderness."  In  that  clearest  of  all  prophetic  out- 
lines of  His  mission,  Jehovah  said  to  the  Coming 
One,  "Thou  art  My  Servant;  Israel  (Prince  of 
God)  in  whom  I  will  be  glorified."  ^ 

Jehovah  had  taken  note  of  the  ways  of  men, 
"  For  I  know  their  works  and  their  thoughts  ;  it 
shall  come  to  pass  that  I  will  gather  all  nations 
and  tongues ;  and  they  shall  come  and  shall  see 
My  glory ; "  ^  and  so  it  was  that  Jehovah  would 
make  the  place  of  His  feet  glorious  when  He 
should  glorify  the  place  of  His  glory.'^ 

It  was  in  accord  with  this  magnifying  of  the 
glory  of  Jehovah's  name  that  the  Messiah's  advent 
was  heralded  by  an  angel  choir  singing 

**  Glory  to  God  on  high 
And  on  earth  peace."  * 

The  outcome  of  the  Messiah's  work  is  pictured 
in  the  hosts  that  swell  the  universal  chorus, 

'<  Holy,  holy,  holy.  Lord  God  Almighty."  « 

The  first  word  of  petition  in  the  prayer  Jesus 

*  Isa.  40 :  5.  2  isa.  49 :  3.  '  Isa.  66  :  18. 

*  Isa.  60 :  7.  6  Luke  2 :  14.     « Rev.  4:  8 ;  cf.  Isa.  6:3.    ^ 


66        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

teaches  His  disciples  to  pray  is :  "  Our  Father 
who  art  in  heaven,  hallowed  be  Thy  name." 
These  words  are  not,  one  fears,  generally  taken  at 
the  value  our  Lord  put  upon  them.  Indeed  one 
has  found  many  who  did  not  account  them  a  peti- 
tion at  all  but  an  ascription  of  praise.  Jesus  taught 
us  thus  to  pray  that  the  Father's  name  may  be  held 
holy  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven.  This  was  the 
first,  the  fundamental,  step  in  the  coming  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  upon  earth,  wherein  God's  will 
shall  be  done  even  as  it  is  in  heaven.  If  men  shall 
sanctify  the  name  and  person  of  the  Heavenly 
Father  and  apply  the  meaning  of  that  holiness  the 
time  will  have  come  when  **  there  shall  be  upon  the 
bells  of  the  horses,  HOLY  UNTO  Jehovah  ;  and  the 
pots  in  Jehovah's  house  shall  be  like  the  bowls  be- 
fore the  altar.  Yea  every  pot  in  Jerusalem  and  in 
Judah  shall  be  holy  unto  Jehovah  of  hosts  ;  and  all 
they  that  sacrifice  shall  come  and  take  of  them, 
and  boil  therein  ;  and  in  that  day  there  shall  be  no 
more  a  Canaanite  in  the  house  of  Jehovah  of  hosts."  ^ 
In  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  where  Jesus  teaches 
this  initial  petition  of  the  children  of  His  kingdom, 
He  has  set  forth  the  comprehensive  duty  of  these 
children  of  God  ;  "  Let  your  light  shine  before  men 
as  a  city  set  on  a  hill  that  cannot  be  hid,  or  as  a 
lamp  on  a  lampstand  shining  to  all  that  are  in  the 
house  that  they  may  see  your  good  works  and 
glorify  your  Father  who  is  in  heaven."  ^ 

»  Zech.  14  :  20-21.  »  Matt.  5  :  14-16. 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  Jesus        67 

All  through  His  ministry  Jesus  was  powerfully 
moved  when  He  saw  the  godlessness  of  the  peo- 
ple. He  was  especially  indignant  with  the  Phari- 
sees whose  proud  selfishness  expelled  the  spirit  of 
worship  from  their  own  souls  and  made  them 
hindrances  to  the  glory  of  God  among  their 
people. 

So  it  was  that  Jesus  came  to  the  close  of  His 
labor  still  burdened  for  the  glory  of  His  Father 
among  men.  When  Judas  went  out  from  the 
upper  room  to  complete  the  betrayal  Jesus  com- 
forted Himself  with  the  assurance  that/'  Now  is  the 
Son  of  Man  glorified,  and  God  is  glorified  in  Him."  ^ 

In  laying  before  His  own  their  labor  Jesus  says, 
**  Verily,  verily  I  say  to  you.  He  that  abides  in  faith 
upon  Me  the  works  that  I  do  that  one  too  will  do  ; 
and  greater  than  these  will  he  do,  because  I  am 
going  before  My  Father ;  and  (in  the  prosecution 
of  this  work)  whatever  ye  may  ask  in  My  name 
(for  My  work)  that  I  will  do  in  order  that  My 
Father  may  be  glorified  in  His  Son."  ^  When  He 
urges  His  followers  to  abide  in  Him  as  branches  in 
the  vine  and  assures  them  that,  so  abiding,  they 
may  ask  whatsoever  they  will  and  it  shall  be  done, 
it  is  that  ^^  Herein  is  My  Father  glorified,  that  ye 
bear  much  fruit,  and  ye  shall  be  My  disciples."  ^ 

So  comes  our  Lord  to  the  end  of  all  His  labor 
"and  lifting  up  His  eyes  to  heaven,  He  said, 
Father  the  hour  is  come  ;  " — the  prophetic  hour, 
>  John  13  :  31.  »  John  14;  12-13.  »  John  15  :  7-8. 


68        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

the  pivotal  hour  of  history  and  of  the  kingdom, 
the  hour  for  which  the  world  waits  and  on  which 
it  depends,  the  hour  that  is  to  justify  the  creation 
of  man;  what  will  He  say? — *' glorify  Thy  Son, 
that  the  Son  may  glorify  Thee.  .  .  .  I  glorified 
Thee  on  the  earth  by  finishing  the  work  which 
Thou  gavest  Me  to  do."  ^  So  comes  He  to  the 
end  eager  for  the  glory  of  the  Father.  This  is 
the  task  He  commits  to  missionaries  under  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Surely  now  "  His  own  whom  the 
Father  gave  Him  out  of  the  world  "  will "  Declare 
His  glory  among  the  nations,  His  marvellous  works 
among  all  the  peoples  "  ^  and  **  All  nations  whom 
Thou  hast  made  shall  come  and  worship  before 
Thee,  O  Lord  ;  and  they  shall  glorify  Thy  name."  * 

3.  By  viissions  Jesus  will  bring  in  the  ki^tgdom 
1/  of  heaven  upon  earth.  This  is  the  form  in  which 
Jesus  seems  most  constantly  to  have  conceived  His 
work  and  so  the  work  of  His  witnesses.  Of 
course  the  kingdom  concept  dominates  the  pre- 
Christian  revelation,  reaching  its  most  definite  ex- 
pression in  such  Messianic  passages  as  Isaiah  9, 
Daniel  2,  etc. 

"  For  unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  son  is 
given ;  and  the  government  shall  be  upon  His 
shoulder  ;  and  His  name  shall  be  called  Wonder- 
ful, Counsellor,  Mighty  God,  Father  of  Eternity, 
Prince  of  Peace.  Of  the  increase  of  His  govern- 
ment and  of  peace  there  shall  be  no  end  upon  the 

1  John  17  :  1-4.  «  Ps.  96 :  3.  »  Ps.  86 :  9. 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  Jesus        69 

throne  of  David,  and  upon  his  kingdom,  to 
estabUsh  it  and  to  uphold  it  with  justice  and  with 
righteousness  from  henceforth  even  forever.  The 
zeal  of  Jehovah  of  hosts  will  perform  this."  So 
Isaiah.  Daniel  is  more  detailed  in  the  famous 
dream  of  the  progress  of  the  kingdoms  of  history  : 
"  And  in  the  days  of  those  kings  shall  the  God  of 
heaven  set  up  a  kingdom  which  shall  never  be 
destroyed,  nor  shall  the  sovereignty  thereof  be 
left  to  another  people ;  but  it  shall  break  in  pieces 
and  consume  all  these  kingdoms,  and  it  shall  stand 
forever  "  (verse  44).  In  the  time  of  Daniel,  if  not 
long  before,  it  came  to  be  common  to  refer  to  God 
as  the  everlasting  King : 

"  Thy  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and 
Thy  dominion  endureth  throughout  all  genera- 
tions." ' 

It  was  altogether  in  accord  with  this  teaching 
that  John  the  Baptist  came  preaching  in  the  wilder- 
ness, *'  saying.  Repent,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
is  at  hand."  ^  And  that  Mark's  record^  runs: 
"  Now  after  John  was  delivered  up,  Jesus  came 
into  Galilee,  proclaiming  God's  good  tidings  and 
saying.  The  time  is  fulfilled,  and  the  kingdom  of 
God  is  at  hand  :  repent  and  believe  in  the  good 
tidings." 

Such  was  the  burden  of  the  preaching  of  John 
and  of  Jesus  :  the  primary  petition  of  our  prayers 

»  Ps.  145  :  13;  cf.  Dan.  4 :  34,  etc.  *  Matt.  3 :  1-2. 

*  Mark  i :  14-15. 


yo        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

is  that  God's  kingdom  may  come,  and  this  too 
must  be  the  first  effort  of  the  follower  of  Jesus  al- 
ways. In  prayer  and  effort  we  must  put  the 
kingdom  before  our  food  and  raiment,  before  our 
personal  protection  and  care,  before  every  other 
thing.^ 

There  are  three  recognized  groups  of  parables 
in  our  Lord's  teaching,  given  at  three  epochs  in 
His  ministry.  The  subject  of  them  all  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven ;  its  founding  and  growth ;  ^ 
its  principles  and  progress ;  ^  its  consummation 
and  glory.^ 

The  kingdom  of  God  may  then  be  said  to  be 
the  formative  concept  of  Jesus'  ministry.  It  was 
this  He  commanded  His  disciples  to  preach  ;  ^  this 
He  promised  His  disciples  when  the  **  little  flock  " 
must  be  encouraged  ;  ^  this  He  confessed  before 
Pontius  Pilate  He  was  in  the  world  for  ;  ^  and  He 
declared  as  the  plan  of  His  campaign  that  "  these 
good  tidings  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  preached  in 
the  whole  inhabited  earth  for  a  testimony  unto  all 
the  nations  ;  and  then  shall  the  end  come."  ^ 

What  the  end  may  imply  Jesus  leaves  to  Paul 
to  suggest :  "  Then  cometh  the  end  when  He 
shall  deliver  up  to  His  God  and  Father  the  king- 
dom, when  He  shall  have  abolished  all  rule  and 

1  See  Matt.  6:  9  fif,,  33.  «  Matt.  13,  etc. 

3  Luke  10-13,  etc.  «  Matt.  25,  etc. ;  Luke  20,  etc. 

^  Luke  10 :  9  ff. ;  Matt.  lo  :  7.  e  Luke  12 :  32. 

'  John  18 :  37.    The  words  of  Jesus  involve  this.      8  Matt.  24  :  14. 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  Jesus        71 

all  authority  and  power  .  .  .  then  shall  the 
Son  also  Himself  be  subjected  to  Him  that  did 
subject  all  things  to  Him,  that  God  may  be  all 
in  all."  ^  Paul  claims  also  that  there  is  **  made 
known  unto  us  the  secret  of  God's  will,  according 
to  His  good  pleasure  which  He  planned  in  Christ 
for  a  dispensation  of  the  fullness  of  the  times,  to 
sum  up  all  things  in  Christ."  ^ 

In  missions,  then,  Jesus  is  bringing  to  the  world 
"  God's  good  message  of  the  kingdom." 

4.  We  think  it  is  evident  also  that  Jesus  looks 
upon  missions  as  the  projecting  of  Himself  forward 
unto  a  sort  of  complete  self-realization.  He  was 
incarnate  for  the  race  of  mankind.  If  the  value  of 
that  incarnation  is  dependent  upon  believing  ac- 
ceptance by  man,  then  in  a  true  sense  the  incarna- 
tion is  incomplete  until  all  men  are  made  aware 
of  it  and  accept  or  reject  its  meaning  for  their 
lives.  We  do  well  to  make  much  of  the  second 
coming  of  our  Lord,  but  let  us  remember  that  for 
millions  of  His  and  our  fellow  men,  our  Christ  has 
as  yet  had  no  first  coming  and  that  He  looks  to  us 
to  effect  by  a  missionary  Gospel  this  primary  in- 
carnation. The  thought  is  a  daring  one.  But 
was  not  this  in  His  mind  when  our  risen  Lord  at 
the  first  meeting  with  His  followers  in  the  barred 
room  **  says  to  them.  Peace  to  you.  And  on  say- 
ing this  He  showed  both  His  hands  and  His  side 

»  I  Cor.  15  :  24-28. 

«  Eph.  1 :  8  E ;  cf.  Phil.  2 :  9  fif. ;  Col.  i :  14-20. 


\J 


72        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

to  them.  The  disciples  rejoiced,  therefore,  on  see- 
ing the  Lord.  He  said  therefore  (in  light  of  their 
joy  of  recognition)  to  them  again,  Peace  to  you, 
as  My  Father  sent  Me  so  also  do  I  send  you. 
And  on  saying  this  He  breathed  on  them  and  says 
to  them.  Receive  the  Holy  Spirit:  whosesoever 
sins  ye  remove,  they  are  removed  for  them,  and 
whosesoever  ye  retain,  they  are  retained."  ^ 

This  explains,  too,  the  much  controverted  words 
to  Peter,  and  to  the  rest,  in  Matthew  16 :  19, 
wherein  Jesus  gives  to  His  followers  the  keys  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  to  bind  and  to  loose  on 
earth  for  heaven. 

So  far  did  Jesus  identify  Himself  with  His  serv- 
ants that  He  looks  upon  a  typical  case  of  the 
world's  need  and  exclaims  :  '*  We  must  work  the 
works  of  Him  that  sent  Me  while  it  is  day ;  the 
night  cometh  when  no  man  can  work."  ^  "  We  " 
— you,  whom  I  have  called  to  carry  on  My  work, 
and  I.  Luke  had  in  mind  this  idea  of  the  Lord 
when  in  beginning  Acts  he  refers  to  **  the  former 
treatise  of  all  that  Jesus  began  to  do  and  to  teach,"  ^ 
recognizing  that  Jesus  continues  doing  and  teach- 
ing in  His  Spirit-filled  followers.  How  this 
thought  moves  the  mind  of  our  Lord  in  the  night 
of  His  passion  we  shall  presently  see. 

5.  As  in  the  case  of  the  Father,  so  also  of  the 
Son  do  we  find  that  missions  are  His  expression 
of  love  and  sympathy  for  a  lost  world, 

ijohn  20:  19-23.  3  John  9:  4.  *Acts  i ;  I. 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  Jesus        73 

This  love  for  the  lost,  for  man  as  man  and  as 
possible  son  of  God,  was  with  God's  Son  a  pas- 
sion that  marked  Him  among  all  in  the  day  of 
His  flesh  and  that  calls  the  world  to  marvel  in  all 
time.  Early  in  His  ministry,  in  Samaria,  where 
aliens  and  enemies  to  His  Jewish  blood  fell  under 
His  spell,  and  again  when  the  shadows  were  long 
on  the  brief  day  of  His  personal  ministry,  and  now 
in  Judsea  where  He  was  most  unwelcome,  did  the 
hungry,  misguided  hearts  of  men  appeal  to  Jesus 
as  a  white  harvest  calling  for  many  laborers/ 

No  incident  could  be  more  truly  characteristic 
of  Jesus  than  that  recorded  in  Matthew  9 :  36-10 : 5, 
and  it  illustrates  exactly  the  idea  here  emphasized : 
"  When  He  saw  the  multitudes  He  was  moved 
with  compassion  for  them,  because  they  were  dis- 
tressed and  scattered  as  sheep  not  having  a  shep- 
herd. Then  saith  He  unto  His  disciples.  The 
harvest  indeed  is  plenteous  but  the  laborers  are 
few.  Pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord  of  the  harvest, 
that  He  would  send  forth  laborers  into  His  har- 
vest. And  He  called  unto  Him  His  twelve  dis- 
ciples, and  gave  them  authority  over  unclean 
spirits  to  cast  them  out,  and  to  heal  all  manner  of 
disease  and  all  manner  of  sickness.  .  .  .  These 
twelve  Jesus  sent  forth.     .     .     ." 

Satan  had,  in  the  great  temptation,  sought  to 
appeal  to  Jesus  by  showing  Him  all  the  kingdoms 
of  the  world  and  the  glory  of  them — as  masses,  in 

» John  4  :  35 ;  Matt.  9  :  37  f. ;  Luke  10 :  2. 


74        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

splendor,  to  be  exploited  for  Himself.  In  the 
Holy  Spirit  He  saw  all  the  men  of  the  world  and 
the  misery  of  them  and  Himself  to  relieve  that  woe. 
Into  this  world  that  hated  Him  and  would  hate 
them,  Jesus  sends  His  disciples  whom  He  has 
taken  out  from  the  world.  "  He  had  compassion 
on  them  ; ''  "  Then  He  saith  unto  His  disciples  : 
*  There  is  a  great,  wasting-  harvest.  Pray,  Go.' " 
That  was  another  characteristic  and  parabolic 
scene,  recorded  by  all  four  Evangelists,  when 
Jesus  fed  the  five  thousand.  '*  He  came  forth  and 
saw  a  great  multitude,  and  He  had  compassion 
on  them  .  .  .  and  He  began  to  teach  them 
many  things.  .  .  .  But  He  answered  and 
said  unto  them.  Give  ye  them  to  eat.''  He 
teaches,  and  He  feeds,  but  His  compassion  com- 
mands in  this  service  all  who  are  His.  His  sym- 
pathy and  His  power  provide  the  food,  but  "  He 
gave  the  loaves  to  the  disciples,  and  the  disciples 
to  the  multitude."  ^  The  disciples  must  ever  be 
the  hands  through  which  the  heart  of  the  Re- 
deemer lays  hold  on  needy  men. 

The  Saviour  who  weeps  in  longing  over  per- 
sistently rebellious  Jerusalem  is  the  same  Jesus  who 
declares  "  Other  sheep  I  have  which  are  not  of  this 
fold.  Them  also  I  must  lead."  ^  The  world  stood 
before  the  eye  of  His  love  and  He  said,  **  God 
sent  not  His  Son  into  the  world  to  condemn  the 
world  but  that  the  world  should  be  saved  through 

\Matt.  14:  19.  2Johnio;i6. 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  Jesus        75 

Him  ;  "  ^  and  again,  **  I  am  come  a  light  unto  the 
world,  .  .  .  for  I  came  ...  to  save  the 
world."  ^  It  was  when  Greeks  came  desiring  to 
know  Him  that  the  Lord  said,  **  The  hour  is  come 
that  the  Son  of  Man  should  be  glorified.  .  .  . 
Now  is  a  judgment  of  this  world  ;  now  shall  the 
prince  of  this  world  be  cast  out.  And  I,  if  I  be 
lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto 
Myself."  And  it  was  as  part  of  this  same  teaching 
that  He  laid  down  the  law  of  spiritual  life  :  **  Ex- 
cept a  grain  of  wheat  fall  into  the  ground  and  die 
it  abideth  by  itself  alone  ;  but  if  it  die,  it  beareth 
much  fruit.  ...  If  any  man  serve  Me  let 
him  follow  Me  ;  and  where  I  am  there  shall  also 
My  servant  be  ;  if  any  man  serve  Me  him  will 
My  Father  honor."  ^  Thus  did  Jesus  include  all 
His  servants  in  His  redemptive  work  and  see  the 
Father  honoring  Him  in  them  and  drawing  all 
men  unto  Him.  It  was  enough.  For  this  hour 
had  He  come  into  the  world. 

In  the  prayer  with  which  Jesus  completes  His 
sacrificial  life  and  from  which  He  goes  through 
Gethsemane  to  His  humiliation  we  have  all  these 
items  of  the  meaning  of  missions  crowded  together 
in  the  wonderful  words  in  which  He  presents  His 
life  and  its  issue  in  the  world  before  the  Father. 
We  must  close  this  chapter  with  a  study  of  this 
prayer :  John  1 7.  We  submit  an  outline  of  the 
prayer  from  this  standpoint  and  believe  that  this 

1  John  3:17.  '  John  12 ;  46  f.  ,  *  John  12 :  20-33. 


76        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

will  appear  to  be  the  actual  line  of  thought  fol- 
lowed by  the  Lord.  There  are  thus  three  divisions 
with  a  gradual  transition  from  one  to  another  so 
that  in  each  case  the  transition  verse  will  belong  to 
both  the  preceding  and  the  following  section. 

(i)  Jesus  presents  Himself  to  the  Father,  with 
His  work  accomplished  and  asks  for  its  accept- 
ance and  for  glory  (verses  i  8).  But  His  work 
has  resulted  chiefly  in  getting  a  small  band  of  un- 
derstanding believers  and  these  come  before  Him 
and  now  (2),  He  lays  them  before  the  Father  in 
earnest  petition  (verses  8-20).  Praying  for  these, 
His  own,  brings  forward  the  world  in  which  Jesus 
is  leaving  them,  and  (3),  the  last  section  makes  an 
earnest  cry  for  the  world  that  lieth  in  the  wicked 
one  (verses  20-26). 

Now  we  shall  examine  these  sections  somewhat 
in  detail.  "  These  words  spake  Jesus,"  words 
that  have  set  before  His  disciples  what  they  are 
to  expect,  to  be,  to  accomplish,  to  suffer  in  the 
world,  concluding,  ''  In  the  world  ye  have  tribula- 
tion ;  but  be  of  good  cheer  ;  I  have  overcome  the 
world."  ^  "  And  lifting  up  His  eyes  to  heaven," 
bringing  the  earth  and  heaven  into  contact  for  the 
redemption  of  the  one  by  bringing  into  it  the 
power  of  the  other,  "  He  said,  Father,"  using  the 
word  that  is  to  transform  humanity  as  its  meaning 
is  understood  and  accepted.  He  had  come  to 
"show   us  the    Father"    and   satisfy  humanity's 

»  John  16 :  33. 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  Jesus        77 

craving.  "The  hour  is  come,"  the  crucial  hour 
of  creation,  the  climax  hour  of  His  own  atoning 
life,  the  fateful  hour  for  human  destiny,  the  su- 
preme hour  of  Infinite  Love's  manifestation,  the 
hour  of  sin's  ultimate  effort  and  exhibition. 
*'  Glorify  Thy  Son,  that  the  Son  may  glorify 
Thee."  Glorified  suffering,  glorified  in  its  pur- 
pose, in  its  bearing,  in  its  influence,  so  that  God 
the  Father  shall  be  glorified.  That  is  the  first 
great  idea  of  the  Son's  every  service.^ 

Verse  2  now  defines  the  method  of  God's  plan 
and  of  Jesus'  work.  God  has  given  Him  **  author- 
ity over  all  flesh  "  and  in  His  own  person  He  is 
to  bestow  eternal  life  in  actual  possession  and 
operation  upon  a  certain  definite  part  of  that 
which  is  put  within  His  authority.  This  universal 
authority  along  with  a  quite  limited  present  be- 
stowal of  life  speaks  in  accordance  with  the  plans 
we  have  already  seen  presented.  The  work  is  to 
continue  and  verse  3  defines  this  eternal  life  which 
is  to  be  offered  to  "all  flesh."  "  This  is  the  life 
eternal,  that  they  should  know  Thee,  the  only  true 
God,  and  Him  whom  Thou  didst  send,  Jesus 
Christ."  This  is  the  work  that  lies  before  His 
vision,  making  known  the  true  nature  of  God  and 
securing  His  acceptance  through  the  revealing 
Christ  sent  from  God.  **  I  made  Thee  glorious  in 
the  earth  by  finishing  the  work  which  Thou  gavest 
Me  that  I  might  do  it ;  and  now  Father  I  ask  that 

» John  4 :  34 ;  5]:  30 ;  6 :  37-38,  etc. 


yS        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Thou  wilt  glorify  Me  alongside  Thine  own  self 
with  the  glory  which  I  had  before  the  world  was 
by  Thy  side  "  (verses  4-5).  Here  is  a  remarkable 
word  if  we  take  it  as  it  most  obviously  reads  in 
the  Greek.  Before  the  world  was  the  Son  was  in 
glory  alongside  (jtapa)  the  Father.  Then  the  world 
came  to  be  alongside  {^apd)  God  also.  But  God's 
glory  was  not  manifest  in  the  earth  and  so  the 
Son  surrendered  His  glory  to  glorify  the  Father 
in  the  earth.  This  He  did  by  completing  an  as- 
signed work  which  was  so  vital  that  it  is  a  per- 
petual work  and  perpetually  increasing.  Now 
that  He  has  set  God's  glory  in  the  earth  He  will 
desire  His  own  glory  restored.  Verses  6-8  state 
more  fully  the  nature  of  that  work  of  Christ.  He 
has  manifested  the  Father's  name  to  the  men 
whom  the  Father  claimed  as  His  own  and  as- 
signed to  Jesus,  and  they  have  taken  God's  word, 
through  Christ,  to  guard  so  that  God's  nature  and 
relation  to  man  can  no  more  be  lost  on  earth. 
"  Now  it  is  matter  of  knowledge  with  them  that  the 
whole  message  Thou  gavest  Me  is  from  Thee,  for 
the  words  which  Thou  gavest  Me  I  have  given  in 
turn  to  them  and  they  got  them  and  recognized 
truly  that  from  Thee  I  came  out,  and  they  believed 
that  it  was  Thou  who  didst  send  Me."  ^  Jesus  has 
set  imperishably  in  human  knowledge  and  life 
God's  nature  and  message.  This  is  the  seed  that 
will  grow  into  a  great  tree.     Thus  has  He  laid  the 

»Cf.  Ch.  i6:3of. 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  Jesus        79 

foundation  and  now  on  this  personal  experience 
of  God  and  His  Son  He  will  build  His  Church 
and  the  gates  of  Hades  shall  not  prevail  against 
it.  He  has  not  failed  nor  been  discouraged  until 
He  has  set  true  righteousness — God's  righteous- 
ness— in  the  earth.  Now  the  isles  may  wait  for 
Him  for  in  the  fullness  of  the  times  He  will  reach 
them  all.  The  little  stone  is  cut  out  from  the 
mountain  and  ready  to  be  set  rolling.  Here  it  is, 
in  these  illuminated,  believing  disciples  who  shall 
receive  power  when  the  Holy  Spirit  is  come  upon 
them. 

Jesus  has  loved  His  own  which  are  in  the  world  ; 
He  loves  them  to  the  limit.  He  must  now  pray 
for  them.  And  as  He  prays  for  them  standing  all 
around  Him  they  will  be  impressed  anew  and  in- 
delibly with  His  deepest  longings  for  them.  Hear 
Him  :  "  I  pray  in  behalf  of  them."  'Epioro)^  I  make 
request  that  looks  for  reply.  "  Not  for  the  world 
do  I  pray  " — that  is  not  the  true  order  :  **  Thy  way 
and  My  way  is  to  move  through  these  believing  ones 
who  were  Thine — are  Thine — and  Thou  gavest 
to  Me,  for  Mine  and  Thine  are  all  the  same  and  in 
them  am  I  glorified  "  (verses  9-10).  Having  found 
His  glory  in  these  believers  and  looking  for  its 
completion  in  them,  Jesus  is  no  longer  to  be  in  the 
world  and  these  are  in  the  world  while  He  returns 
to  the  Father  ;  **  Holy  Father,  guard  them  in  that 
name  of  Thine  which  Thou  gavest  Me,  so  that 
they  may  be  one  just  as  we  are.     While  I  was 


8o        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

with  them  I  guarded  them  in  Thy  name  which 
Thou  hast  given  Me  and  I  watched  over  them 
and  no  one  of  them  was  lost  but  the  son  of  Loss 
— and  that  was  in  accordance  with  the  Scripture  " 
(verses  11-12).  The  name  which  the  Father  gave 
the  Son  and  in  which  He  has  guarded  and  the 
Father  will  guard  believers,  what  is  it?  Can  it  be 
other  than  the  name  Saviour  ?  ^ 

"  But  now  I  am  coming  to  Thee  and  (before 
coming)  I  am  saying  these  things  here  in  the 
world  in  order  that  they  may  have  the  joy  that  is 
Mine  perfected  in  themselves"  (verse  13).  "I 
have  given  them  Thy  word  and  since  they  thus  no 
longer  are  of  the  world  just  as  I  am  not  of  the 
world,  the  world,  in  which  they  are,  put  its  hatred 
upon  them.  I  request  for  them,  not  for  them  to 
be  taken  literally  out  of  the  world  (as  they  are 
spiritually  taken  out  of  it,  for  I  need  them  in  it), 
but  that  Thou  shouldst  guard  them  and  keep  them 
out  of  the  evil.  They  are  not  of  the  world  (do  not 
belong  to  it  and  form  part  of  it  any  more)  even  as 
I  am  not  of  the  world.  Make  them  holy  in  the 
truth,  that  is,  in  Thy  word  which  is  the  truth  " 
(verses  15-17).  They  need  to  be  thus  kept, 
guarded,  unified,  sanctified  because  "As  Thou 
didst  send  Me  (Thy  Son)  into  the  world  (to  man- 
ifest Thy  name)  so  did  I,  in  My  turn,  send  them 
(the  children  whom  Thou  didst  give  Me  ^)  into  the 
world" — My  mission  is  projected  in  them — "and 

1  Cf.  Phil.  2  : 9  f.  and  Matt.  1 :  21.  2  Heb.  2 :  13. 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  Jesus        8l 

for  their  sakes  do  I  devote  Myself  in  order  that 
they  also  may  themselves  be  devoted  truly.  Nor 
do  I  limit  My  prayer  to  these  but  include  also 
them  that  believe  on  Me  through  their  word 
that  all  of  them  may  be  one  "  (in  spirit,  life,  work) 
(verses  19-20). 

Now  we  have  come  into  the  third  stage  of  the 
prayer.  Christ's  work  personally  completed  is 
really  only  begun.  It  is  to  be  continued  and  com- 
pleted in  His  followers  who  abiding  in  the  world 
belong  to  God  and  bring  God's  life  ever  more  and 
more  into  the  world  just  as  Jesus  has  set  the  life  of 
God  flowing  in  mankind.  The  world  for  which 
Jesus  will  now  die,  this  comes  into  view  in  the 
band  of  believers  growing  through  the  word  of 
these  sanctified,  believing,  witnessing  lives.  To 
extend  the  prayer  for  them  is  to  bring  all  the  lost 
world  in  His  heart  to  the  Father.  So  He  prays 
for  all  who  come  to  faith  through  the  proclaimed 
word  of  this  nucleus  of  faith  '*  that  they  all  may  be 
one  in  us  as  Thou  Father  and  I  are  one"  (perfectly 
at  one  in  all  life  and  plan).  And  the  end  of  this 
glorious  unity ;  "  that  the  world  may  believe  that 
Thou  didst  send  Me"  (verse  21).  "  Yea  on  My 
part  I  have  given  to  them  the  glory  which  Thou 
hast  given  to  Me — the  glory  of  being  one,  just  as 
we  are  one :  I  in  them  while  Thou  art  in  Me  that 
they  may  be  perfected  into  one  ;  and,"  again  let 
His  heart  say  it,  '*  in  order  that  the  world  may 
know  that  Thou  didst  send  Me  and  didst  love 


82        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

them  just  as  Thou  didst  love  Me."  Yea  the  whole 
great  world  must  know.  Nothing  less  can  satisfy 
the  heart  of  Jesus  the  Lord  ;  and  His  heart  is  one 
with  the  Father's  heart  and  with  the  sanctified  be- 
liever's heart.  In  this  holy  aim  of  world  love  their 
glory  is  to  be  one  (verses  22-23). 

Another  petition  is  suggested  by  the  Father's 
love  :  **  That  which  Thou  hast  given  Me  (a  thing 
already  granted  and  understood  between  us,  but 
I  must  bring  it  forward  now)  I  desire  that  where  I 
am  these  too  may  be  with  Me  (in  perfect  oneness 
with  Thee  and  devotion  to  all  Thy  thought  and 
will)  in  order  that  they  may  behold  the  glory  that 
is  Mine  because  Thou  hast  given  it  to  Me  because 
Thou  didst  love  Me  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world  "  (verse  24).  He  wants  them  to  understand 
a  love  that  is  eternal  before  the  world  was  laid 
down  by  the  hand  of  the  Father-God. 

And  now  in  one  final  burst  of  passion  all  His 
work,  all  His  longing,  all  His  hopes,  all  His  plan 
find  pregnant  expression  (verses  25-26). 

**  O  righteous  Father,  the  world  did  not  know 
Thee  ;  but  I  knew  Thee :  (so  I  came  to  make  the 
world  know)  and  these  came  to  know  that  Thou 
didst  send  Me  ;  and  I  made  known  unto  them  Thy 
(true)  name  (and  character),  and  will  (continue  to) 
make  it  known ;  so  that  the  love  wherewith  Thou 
lovedst  Me  may  be  in  them  and  I  in  them.''  Be 
it  so,  dear  Lord.  Thy  heart  hath  spoken  and 
broken  over  the  world  that  knew  not  the  Father. 


The  Meaning  of  Missions  to  Jesus        83 

Thou  desirest  to  speak  through  us  of  the  infinite 
love  of  Thy  Father — to  abide  in  us.  Be  it  so, 
dear  Lord.  Guard  us  still  in  that  name  the  Father 
gave. 


IV 

THE  MEANING  OF  MISSIONS  TO  THE  INDIVID- 
UAL  CHRISTIAN— THEIR  AGENT 

THAT  the  responsible  agent  in  the  work  of 
missions  is  the  redeemed  individual  may 
here  be  assumed  while  we  inquire  what 
missions  mean  to  him.  By  virtue  of  his  relation  to 
the  Father  in  heaven,  through  the  Son  and 
Saviour,  all  that  missions  mean  to  God  and  to 
Christ  Jesus  they  ought  to  mean  to  every  man 
who  has  experienced  the  saving  power  of  God's 
grace  in  so  far  as  it  is  possible  for  the  redeemed 
man,  under  the  influence  of  God's  Holy  Spirit,  to 
share  the  significance  of  God's  great  plan  in  Christ, 
our  Lord.     Thus  the  Bible  presents  it. 

I.  It  is  in  the  work  of  missions  that  the  Chris- 
tian puts  himself  in  the  way  of  realizing  the  prom- 
ises of  fesus :  the  promises  that  are  most  signifi- 
cant, most  necessary,  and  which  Christians  are 
most  eager  to  claim. 

(i)  It  is  so  of  the  promises  of  unlimited  answer 
to  prayer.  These  promises  trouble  many  Chris- 
tians because  they  do  not  seem  to  be  fulfilled  in 
practice.  There  are  several  things  to  be  said  in 
answer  to  such  disappointment  and  perplexity  in 
the  face  of  such  apparently  limited  fulfillment  of 

84 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Christian     85 

unlimited  promises  that  God  will  give  what  we  ask 
in  the  name  of  Jesus,  His  Son.  The  most  com- 
prehensive word  in  reply,  and,  let  us  say  also,  in 
encouragement,  is  that  these  promises,  while  un- 
limited, are  not  unconditioned ;  perhaps  no  prom- 
ise of  God  to  free  personality  is. 

To  begin  at  the  beginning  we  must  remember 
always  that  we  are  to  ask  **  in  the  name  of  Jesus," 
and  we  do  well  to  inquire  as  exactly  as  we  may 
what  that   means. 

This  name  is  no  conjurer^s  key  for  working 
unnatural  and  arbitrary  results.  "  Seven  sons  of 
one  Sceva,"  **  exorcists,  took  upon  them  to  name 
over  them  that  had  evil  spirits  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  saying,  I  adjure  you  by  Jesus  whom 
Paul  preacheth.  And  the  evil  spirit  said  unto 
them,  Jesus  I  recognize,  and  Paul  I  know ;  but 
who  are  ye?  And  the  man  in  whom  the  evil 
spirit  was  leaped  on  them.     .     .     ."  ^ 

Similar  experience  has  attended  many  an  effort 
to  name  over  various  matters  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  even  where  the  purpose  was  less  sordid  than 
in  this  case. 

What  it  is  truly  to  pray  in  the  name  of  Jesus  we 
may  best  see  by  reference  to  the  connections  in 
which  the  invitations  so  to  pray  are  given.  In  the 
fourteenth  chapter  of  John's  Gospel,  at  verse  10, 
Jesus  emphasizes  a  teaching  He  has  many  times 
given,  that  He  is  perfectly  the  representative  of 

1  Acts  19 :  13  ff. 


86        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

His  Father ;  "  the  words  that  I  say  unto  you  I 
speak  not  from  Myself :  but  the  Father  abiding  in 
Me  doeth  His  works ^  Continuing,  He  appeals 
for  faith  in  this  unity  of  Himself  and  the  Father 
and  declares  that  on  such  as  have  this  faith 
devolves  the  greater  part  of  God's  work  such  as 
Jesus  Himself  has  been  engaged  in.  Then  follows 
the  assurance — it  is  more  than  a  promise ;  it  is 
direction  for  doing  the  **  greater  works."  "  And  " 
— connecting  directly  with  the  work  to  be  done 
(verse  12) — **  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  My  name, 
that  I  will  do  in  order  that  the  Father  may  be 
glorified  in  His  Son.  If  ye  ask  Me  anything  in 
My  name  I  will  do  it.  If  ye  love  Me,  ye  will 
guard  the  commandments  that  are  Mine,  and  on 
My  part  I  will  request  the  Father  and  He  will  give 
you  another  Paraclete  in  order  that  He  may  be 
with  you  forever     .     .     ."  (verses  13-16). 

Now  observe  that  in  Jesus  the  Father  is  doing  His 
own  work ;  that  those  who  discern  this  fact  in  faith 
are  to  do  this  same  Father's  work  in  greater 
measure ;  that  in  doing  it  they  are  to  ask  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  and  they  can  have  anything  ;  that 
the  gift  of  all  will  come  through  the  coming  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  taking  Jesus'  place  with  the  workers  ; 
that  all  this  is  "in  order  that  the  Father  may  be 
glorified  in  the  Son."  We  ask  "  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  "  when  standing  for  Him  in  God's  work  we 
seek  the  Father's  wisdom  and  power  to  do  what 
Jesus    desires    done    for   the   kingdom   of   God. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Christian     87 

Jesus  says  in  phrase  most  emphatic,  as  it  appears 
in  the  Greek,  "If  ye  love  Me,  the  commandments 
that  are  Mine  will  ye  guard,  and  I,  on  My  part, 
then  will  request  the  Father"  (verses  15-16). 

Again  in  chapter  fifteen,  pointing  out  the  rela- 
tion between  Himself  and  His  disciples,  that  the 
purpose  of  this  union  is  much  fruit  bearing,  Jesus 
again  promises  (verse  7) :  "  If  ye  abide  in  Me 
and  My  words  abide  in  you,  whatsoever  ye  desire 
ask  and  it  shall  come  for  you."  But  we  must  not 
stop  with  this,  for  Jesus  goes  right  on  :  "In  this 
was  My  Father  glorified  ("  was  "  having  reference 
to  the  Divine  plan)  in  that  ye  bear  much  fruit  and 
ye  shall  be  to  Me  disciples  "  (verse  8).  Continu- 
ing His  appeal  and  explanation  He  says  again 
(verses  15-16) :  "  No  longer  do  I  call  you  slaves, 
for  the  slave  knows  not  what  his  lord  does  :  but 
I  have  called  you  friends  because  all  things  that  I 
heard  from  My  Father  I  made  known  to  you.  Ye 
did  not  choose  Me  but  I  chose  you  and  appointed 
you  in  order  that  you  might  go  away  and  bear 
fruit  and  that  your  fruit  might  remain ;  (all  this 
idea  of  your  work  being,  again  ^)  in  order  that 
whatever  you  may  ask  the  Father  in  My  name  He 
may  give  you."  Clearly  the  Father  may  not  make 
such  gift  unless  those  praying  are  following  the 
course  of  **  friends  "  to  whom  the  plan  of  God  has 
been  made  known  by  Christ.     Later  Jesus  tells  the 

1  In  the  Greek  there  is  a  new  purpose  clause  for  this  prayer  state- 
ment 


88        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

sorrowing  disciples  that  He  will  see  them  again  and 
fill  them  with  permanent  joy,  after  His  resurrec- 
tion, of  course.  He  means  ;  and  that  from  that  time 
they  will  no  longer  come  to  Him,  as  now  and 
heretofore,  but  in  His  name  will  go  to  the  Father 
and  "If  ye  shall  ask  anything  of  the  Father,  He 
will  give  it  you  in  My  name."  ^ 

It  was  doubtless  in  memory  of  the  teaching  of 
Jesus  on  this  occasion  that  John  was  led  to  write 
long  afterwards  :  "  Beloved,  if  our  heart  condemn 
us  not,  we  have  boldness  towards  God ;  and  what- 
soever we  ask  we  receive  of  Him,  because  we  are 
keeping  His  commandments  and  doing  the  things 
that  are  pleasing  in  His  sight."  ^ 

To  James  it  was  given  to  teach  that  prayer  goes 
unanswered  because  it  is  selfish  **that  ye  may 
consume  it  on  your  own  desires."  ^ 

Jesus  teaches  us  to  pray  first  of  all  for  the 
Father's  glory  and  kingdom  to  come  perfectly  on 
earth,  while  for  ourselves  we  seek  only  the  neces- 
sary things.*  Not  all  the  prayer  promises  are,  in 
their  connection,  related  to  this  kingdom  work,  to 
be  sure.  Yet  it  is  evident  enough  that  this  is  the 
most  emphasized  condition.  Add  one  word  more 
of  the  Master  :  ''  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  What 
things  soever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth  shall  be  bound 
in  heaven  ;  and  what  things  soever  ye  shall  loose 
on  earth  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven.     Again  I  say 

*  John  i6  :  23.  21  John  3  :  21-22 ;  cf.  i  John  5  :  14-15. 

'  James  4:3.  4  Matt.  6 :  9-12. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Christian     89 

unto  you  (and  in  face  of  such  responsibility  a 
further  word  is  necessary)  that  if  two  of  you  shall 
agree  on  earth  as  touching  anything  that  they 
shall  ask  it  will  come  to  them  from  the  presence  of 
My  Father  who  is  in  heaven.  For  where  two  or 
three  are  gathered  together  in  My  name,  there  am 
I  in  the  midst  of  them."  ^ 

(2)  So  also  of  the  promise  of  Christ  to  be  pres- 
ent in  the  life  of  the  Christian.  The  Scripture  just 
quoted  assures  the  presence  of  the  Lord  where 
two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  His  name^ 
and  the  whole  promise  is  for  the  work  of  **  bind- 
ing" and  ** loosing"  on  earth  for  heaven's  con- 
firmation. This  is  not  merely  implied  in  the  Up- 
per Room  teaching  already  studied  ;  Mt  is  explicitly 
set  forth.  Whenever,  and  in  the  measure,  that  the 
disciples  are  one  with  the  Father  and  the  Son  the 
world  will  come  to  know  the  Father.  That  is  the 
immediate  end  of  this  unity.  It  is  in  connection 
still  with  **  the  greater  works  "  to  be  done  by  His 
followers  that  Jesus  says,  **  I  will  come  unto  you. 
Yet  a  litde  while  and  the  world  will  see  Me  no  more, 
but  ye  see  Me,  because  I  live,  and  ye  shall  live. 
In  that  day  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  in  My  Father 
and  ye  in  Me,  and  I  in  you.  He  that  hath  My 
commandments,  and  keepeth  them,  it  is  he  that 
loveth  Me  ;  and  he  that  loveth  Me  shall  be  loved 
of  My  Father.  I,  too,  will  love  him  and  will  make 
Myself  evident  to  him.     .     .     .     If  a  man  love  Me, 

»  Matt.  18 :  18-20.  >  Chap.  III. 


90        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

he  will  guard  My  word,  and  My  Father  will  love 
him  and  we  will  come  unto  him  and  will  make  our 
abode  with  him."  ^ 

Most  familiar,  perhaps,  and  most  cherished  of  all 
the  forms  of  this  promise  is  the  **  Lo,  I  am  with 
you  all  the  days  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world." 
It  is  impossible  legitimately  to  dissociate  this  prom- 
ise from  the  command  universally  and  fully  to 
evangelize  the  nations.  It  is  only  when  engaged 
in  this  task  that  we  may  claim  or  realize  this 
promise.  Its  very  form,  when  rightly  rendered, 
emphasizes  this  ;  **  all  the  days  even  unto  the  con- 
summation of  the  age  " — the  completing  of  the 
Gospel  age  is  the  objective  of  the  promise. 

(3)  The  promise  to  supply  even  material  needs 
is  made  only  to  those  who  are  seeking  God's  king- 
dom and  righteousness  so  primarily  and  persist- 
ently as  to  have  become  careless  of  food  and 
raiment.  "After  all  these  things  the  heathen 
seek"  but  followers  of  Christ  are  to  be  seeking 
the  heathen  for  Christ.^  All  these  things  may  be 
— are — given  to  many  others,  they  are  promised 
unfailingly  to  the  servants  of  Christ  who  are  carry- 
ing His  Gospel  to  men. 

Christ  was  careful  to  teach  His  disciples  that  it 
is  to  those  who  **  for  His  sake  and  the  Gospel's  " 
suffer  loss  of  goods  and  friends  that  a  hundred- 
fold shall  be  given  here  in  this  life.^ 

»  John  14 :  18-23.  •  Matt.  6 :  31-33. 

»  Matt.  19  :  28 ;  Luke  18 :  29  f. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Christian     91 

(4)  The  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  bound  up  in 
the  same  important  condition.  **  Ye  are  witnesses 
of  these  things.  And  behold  I  send  the  promise 
of  My  Father  upon  you  "  are  the  words  in  which 
Jesus  gives  the  promise  in  Luke  24 :  48  f.  Exactly 
the  same  relation  is  recorded  in  John  2o:2if., 
**  As  the  Father  sent  Me  even  so  send  I  you.  And 
when  He  had  said  this  He  breathed  on  them  and 
said,  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Spirit,  whosesoever  sins 
ye  forgive  they  are  forgiven  .  .  .  ";  and  also 
in  Acts  I  :  8,  "  Ye  shall  receive  power  when  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  come  upon  you  and  ye  shall  be  My 
witnesses  both  in  Jerusalem  and  in  all  Judaea  and 
in  Samaria  and  unto  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth." 

We  have  seen  how  the  prayer  promises  and 
presence  promises  of  John  14-16,  are  bound  up 
inseparably  with  the  world  witness  work  com- 
mitted to  the  **  friends  "  of  the  Christ.  Of  course 
this  includes  the  Holy  Spirit  promises  also.  The 
world  has  seen  and  hated  Jesus  and  the  Father. 
"  But  when  the  Paraclete  is  come  whom  I  will 
send  unto  you  from  the  Father,  the  Spirit  of  Truth 
who  proceedeth  from  the  Father,  He  shall  bear 
witness  of  Me  ;  and  ye,  too,  bear  witness.  .  .  ."  ^ 
"  It  is  advantageous  for  you  that  I  go  away,  for  if  I 
go  not  away  the  Paraclete  will  not  come  unto  you  ; 
but  if  I  go  I  will  send  Him  unto  you  ;  and  He,  on 
coming,  will  convict  the  world.     .    .     ."  ^    Subjec- 

»  John  IS  :  23-27.  2  John  i6 :  7  f. 


92        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

tively  considered,  for  these  few  disciples  alone,  it 
might  not  be  better  to  exchange  Jesus  for  the  Para- 
clete. But  so  soon  as  we  understand  that  they  are 
sent  into  the  world  to  '*  convict  the  world  "  with  ref- 
erence to  sin,  righteousness  and  judgment,  we  can 
see  readily  enough  why  they  should  "  exchange 
the  presence  of  Jesus  for  His  omnipresence,"  His 
help  for  His  "power."  The  conditions  of  the 
promise  correspond  exactly  to  the  history  of  ful- 
fillment as  recorded  in  the  Acts  and  expounded  in 
the  Epistles. 

2.  To  the  Christian  man  missions  are  his  means 
of  carrying  to  fellow  m,e7i  the  highest  possible  good. 

All  that  the  Christian  message  means,  in  itself 
and  its  consequences,  the  missionary  carries  to 
the  man  in  pagan  darkness  and  papal  servitude. 

Some  one  has  said  that  it  is  the  privilege  of  the 
Christian  to  go  to  this  man  and  that  and  give  to 
him  God.  By  such  service  the  follower  of  Christ 
becomes,  secondarily,  a  giver,  an  originator,  a 
creator,  a  redeemer,  and  all  in  the  spiritual  sphere 
where  his  work  is  eternal.  "  Make  all  the  nations 
learners  from  Me — enter  them  in  My  school ; — 
baptizing  them  into  the  new  relation  and  possibil- 
ties  implied  by  the  names  Father,  Son,  Holy 
Spirit ;  then  leading  them  on  to  guard  the  whole 
teaching  of  Him  who  taught  you."  ^  Such  is  the 
commission  of  the  missionary.  Or  as  it  appears 
in  Paul's  commission :  "  ...  the  heathen 
»Cf.  Matt.  28:  19  f. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Christian     93 

unto  whom  I  send  thee  to  open  their  eyes  that  they 
may  turn  from  darkness  to  light  and  from  the 
power  of  Satan  unto  God,  that  they  may  receive 
remission  of  sins  and  an  inheritance  among  them 
that  are  sanctified  in  Me  "  ;  ^  a  form  of  expression 
which  was  still  in  Paul's  heart  when  years  after- 
wards he  writes  to  the  Colossians  ^  of  '*  giving 
thanks  unto  the  Father  who  made  us  meet  to  be 
partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light ; 
who  rescued  us  out  of  the  power  of  the  dark  and 
brought  us  over  into  the  kingdom  of  the  Son  of 
His  love."  Such  is  the  gift  of  missions  in  all  ages. 
We  give  expression  to  "  the  tender  mercy  of  our 
God  whereby  the  dayspring  from  on  high  shall 
visit  us,  to  shine  upon  them  that  sit  in  darkness 
and  the  shadow  of  death."  ^ 

In  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  Romans  Paul  outlines 
his  own  missionary  principles  from  the  standpoint 
of  the  appeal  of  heathen  need  in  a  way  that  may 
well  be  taken  as  the  model  for  all. 

Writing  to  a  church  composed  of  Jewish  and 
heathen  elements,  each  inclined  to  judge  the  other, 
the  Apostle  makes  a  great  plea  for  fraternal  help- 
fulness (chs.  14-15),  and  concludes  the  appeal, 
"Wherefore  receive  ye  one  another,  even  as 
Christ  also  received  you,  unto  the  glory  of  God  " 
(verse  7).  He  then  proceeds  to  enforce  this  idea 
of  receiving  "  for  God's  glory  "  by  presenting  his 

»Acts  26:  17  f.  *Col.  I  :  12. 

8  Luke  1 :  78  f. ;  cf.  Isa.  9  : 1  flf. ;  60 : 1-3. 


94        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

conception  of  Christ's  function  and  the  place  Paul 
himself  holds  in  it,  supporting  his  position  by  four 
quotations  from  the  Old  Testament.  Read  his 
argument  (verses  8-24) :  "  For  I  say  that  Messiah 
has  come  to  be  a  minister  of  the  circumcision  (Is- 
rael) in  behalf  of  God's  truth,  with  a  view  to  ful- 
filling faithfully  the  promises  made  to  the  fathers 
and — this  further  function  with  reference  to  the 
heathen — that  they  may  glorify  God,  too,  for  His 
mercy."  To  Jews  the  Messiah  is  the  expression 
of  God's  truth,  to  heathen  of  God's  mercy,  to  all 
the  means  of  God's  glory.  And  this  is  exactly  in 
accord  with  God's  revealed  purpose,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten: 

"Therefore  will  I  confess  Thee  among  the  heathen, 

And  sing  to  Thy  name."  ^ 

And  again  it  says, 

"  Rejoice,  ye  heathen,  along  with  His  people."  ' 

And  again, 

"  Praise  the  Lord,  all  ye  heathen  ; 

And  let  all  the  peoples  praise  Him."  ^ 

And  again,  Isaiah  saith,* 

**  There  shall  be  the  root  of  Jesse, 

And  He  that  ariseth  to  rule  over  the  heathen, 

On  Him  shall  the  heathen  hope." 

**  Now,"  continues  Paul,  "  may  the  God  who 
held  out  this  hope  to  the  heathen  and  who  Him- 
self hopes  for  their  redemption,*^  fill  you  with  all  joy 

»  From  Ps.  i8 :  49.        2  Yrom  Deut.  32  :  43.        3  From  Ps.  117:1. 
*  Isa.  1 1 :  10.         6 «  The  God  of  hope,"  objective  and  subjective. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Christian     95 

and  peace  in  believing  so  that  ye  may  overflow  in 
hope  in  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit " — that  by 
sharing  God's  feeling  about  the  heathen  you  may 
hope  for  the  salvation  of  the  heathen  by  means  of 
the  Holy  Spirit's  power,  and  may  have  joy  and 
peace  in  believing  in  this  larger  hope  of  God's 
Gospel.  "  I  am  persuaded,  my  brethren,  even  I 
myself — the  Gentile  missionary — concerning  you 
that  you  are  yourselves,  too,  full  of  goodness, 
filled  with  all  knowledge  (as  to  this  plan  of  God) 
able  also  to  admonish  one  another  (in  cases  of 
failure  to  apprehend).  But  I  write  the  more  boldly 
to  you  briefly,  as  reminding  you  because  of  the 
(special)  grace  given  to  me  from  our  God  with  a 
view  to  my  being  Christ  Jesus'  messenger  unto  the 
heathen,  as  their  priest  ^  ministering  God's  good 
news  so  that  the  heathen's  offering  might  come  to 
be  acceptable,  being  sanctified  in  the  Holy  Spirit. 
I  have  therefore  for  my  glorying  in  Christ  Jesus 
the  things  pertaining  to  God.  For  I  will  not  dare 
in  any  respect  to  speak  of  things  which  Christ  did 
not  accomplish  through  me  for  the  obedience  of 
the  heathen  (working  through  me)  by  word  and 
deed  in  the  power  of  signs  and  wonders,  in  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  (making  it  unquestion- 
able that  God  was  claiming  these  heathen),  so  that 
from  Jerusalem  and  round  about  even  unto  Illyr- 
icum  I  have  fulfilled  the  (preaching  of)  good  news 
of  the  Messiah,  being  ambitious  to  proclaim  the 

*  UpovpyovvTa, 


96        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

good  news  not  where  Christ  was  called  by  name 
(but  where  He  was  unknown)  so  that  I  might  build 
not  upon  the  foundation  of  another  but  (might 
be  fulfilling  that  prophecy)  just  as  it  is  written/ 

**  They  shall  see  to  whom  no  tidings  of  Him 
came,  and  they  who  have  not  heard,  shall  under- 
stand. Wherefore  I  was  hindered  these  many 
years  from  coming  unto  you :  (He  could  not 
come  while  in  his  way  lay  heathen  who  had  not 
heard  the  good  news) :  but  now,  having  no  more 
any  place  in  these  regions,  and  having  these 
many  years  a  longing  to  come  unto  you  whenever 
I  may  go  into  Spain — for  I  hope  in  passing 
through  to  look  upon  you  and  by  you  to  be 
brought  on  my  way  thither  if  with  you  I  shall 
first  be  partially  filled."  Such  is  the  great 
Apostle's  yearning  for  men  in  the  darkness  and 
distress  of  heathenism.  Finding  warrant  in  God's 
Word  he  must  unceasingly  labor  to  bring  to  them 
the  good  news  of  the  Messiah  and  bring  them  to 
the  God  of  hope  who  waits  to  receive  them  with 
the  Holy  Spirit's  proofs  of  approval.  To  this 
service  of  bringing  the  heathen  to  God  Paul,  and 
every  other  true  missionary,  devotes  his  life  and 
feels  that  "  even  if  I  am  poured  out  as  a  drink 
offering  upon  the  sacrifice  and  service  of  your 
faith,  I  rejoice  and  rejoice  with  you  all "  and  calls 
on  these  heathen  thus  so  blessed  in  coming  to 
God  to  "  rejoice  and  rejoice  with  me."  ^ 

» In  Isa.  52 :  15.  2  phij,  2 :  17. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Christian      97 

The  appeal  of  them  that  are  "  without  God  and 
without  hope  in  the  world "  is  irresistible  to  the 
man  whom  the  love  of  Christ  constrains  ;  **  because 
we  thus  judge,  that  one  died  for  all,  then  they  all 
died  (and  so  are  in  death  now) ;  and  He  died  in 
behalf  of  all  in  order  that  they  who  (have  been 
made  to)  live  may  no  longer  live  for  themselves, 
but  for  the  One  who  died  and  rose  again  in  be- 
half of  them  " — ^all  them  for  whom  He  died — all 
men.  ^ 

3.  In  missions  we  become  workers  together  with 
God  in  fulfilling  His  promises  to  Christ  and  in  all 
that  the  work  of  missioiis  mea^is  to  Him.  God's 
electing  grace  determines  the  times  and  the 
seasons  ^  while  the  missionary  "  endures  all  things 
for  the  elect's  sake  that  they  may  attain  to  the  sal- 
vation that  is  in  Christ  Jesus  with  everlasting 
glory." 3 

So  the  early  workers  thought  of  themselves. 
When  Peter  and  John  had  been  before  the  San- 
hedrin  for  preaching  Jesus  on  **  being  let  go,  they 
came  to  their  own  company  and  reported  all  that 
the  chief  priests  had  said  unto  them."  Then  all 
prayed  together,  recognizing  that  this  is  in  accord- 
ance with  God's  Word  and  that  God's  hand  is  in 
it  all.  "And  now  Lord,"  they  make  petition, 
"  look  upon  their  threatenings  ;  and  grant  unto 
Thy  servants" — not  immunity  from  suffering; 
that  matters  not,  but — "  with  all  courage  to  speak 

1  2  Cor.  5  :  14  f.  2  Eph.  i :  lo ;  Acts  1:7.         "2  Tim,  2 ;  10, 


g8        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Thy  word,  while  on  Thy  part  Thou  stretchest 
forth  Thy  hand  to  heal ;  and  that  signs  and  won- 
ders may  come  to  pass  through  the  name  of  Thy 
holy  Servant  Jesus."  Two  things  they  desire, 
courage  and  cooperation  from  God.  "  And  when 
they  had  prayed,  the  place  was  shaken  wherein 
they  were  gathered  together ;  and  they  were  all 
filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  they  spoke  the 
word  of  God  with  courage."  ^  The  cooperation 
was  complete. 

When  controversy  arose  over  the  terms  on 
which  the  missionaries  were  admitting  heathen 
converts  to  Christian  fellowship  and  the  subject 
was  under  discussion  at  Jerusalem,  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas appealed  to  the  proofs  that  they  were  work- 
ing in  cooperation  with  God,  "  And  all  the  multi- 
tude kept  silence  ;  and  they  hearkened  unto  Bar- 
nabas and  Paul,  rehearsing  what  signs  and  won- 
ders God  had  wrought  among  the  heathen  through 
them."  The  argument  was  final,  "  And  after  they 
held  their  peace,  James  answered"  with  the  pro- 
posal which  was  unanimously  adopted  as  that 
which  "  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Spirit  and  to 
us."  ^  While  not  a  part  of  the  genuine  text  of 
Mark,  the  final  verse  of  the  sixteenth  chapter  tells 
how  the  matter  was  regarded  in  the  first  age  of 
the  Gospel ;  "  And  they  went  forth  and  preached 
everywhere,  the  Lord  working  with  them,  and 
confirming  the  Word  by  the  signs  that  followed." 

1  Acts  4 :  23-31.  8  See  Acts  15  :  I2  ff.,  28. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Christian      99 

Jesus   had  entrusted  His  Gospel  witness  to  the 
Holy  Spirit  and  to  His  followers.  ^ 

In  I  Corinthians  3  :  9,  Paul  says  "  we  are  God's 
fellow  workers  "  and  he  amplifies  this  thought  in 
2  Corinthians  5  :  20-6  :  2,  Having  shown  that 
Christ  died  for  all,  that  those  made  alive  in  Christ 
are  for  His  service  in  the  interest  of  those  yet 
dead  ;  that  God  has  committed  unto  us  the  min- 
istry— the  actual  work — of  reconciliation  of  the 
world  unto  Himself  through  Christ,  the  Apostle 
declares  :  *'  We  are  ambassadors  therefore  on  be- 
half of  Christ  as  if  God  were  calling  (men)  on 
through  us :  We  beg,  (men,  generally,  not 
'you!  it  is  a  statement  of  the  ambassadors'  func- 
tion) Be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  **  God  was  in 
Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  Himself." 
Christ,  not  visible  and  recognizable  in  Himself  to 
the  world,  is  in  us  and  so  it  is  that  **  in  Christ's 
behalf  we  are  God's  ambassadors  to  men."  Christ's 
function  is  seen  in  that,  '*  Him  who  knew  no  sin  He 
made  to  be  sin  in  our  behalf  that  we  might  be- 
come God's  righteousness  in  Him."  (In  Christ  we 
become  the  expression,  the  declaration  of  God's 
righteousness  to  men,  seems  to  be  Paul's  thought 
here.  The  idea  is  not  theological  but  practical, 
missionary,  as  Paul  sets  it  forth.)  "  And  (now  that 
we  have  thus  been  brought  into  this  responsible 
position)  working  together  we  too  entreat  that  you 
do  not  receive  the  grace  of  God  in  vain.     For  He 

ijohn  15  :  26  f. 


loo       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

saith :  ^  At  an  acceptable  time  I  hearkened  unto 
thee,  and  in  a  day  of  salvation  did  I  succor  thee  ; 
behold,  now  is  the  acceptable  time  ;  behold  now 
is  the  day  of  salvation."  Now  is  the  time  for 
faithful  beseeching  on  the  part  of  the  ambassadors. 

4.  By  means  of  missions  we  allow  Jesus  to  carry 
forward  His  self-realization  in  us.  It  is  thus  that 
we  further  the  work,  to  completion,  that  our  Lord 
began  ;  carry  on  in  our  bodies  what  is  lacking  of 
the  afflictions  of  Christ  for  His  body's  sake ;  jus- 
tify His  confidence  in  us  in  undertaking  such  a 
work  reckoning  on  our  service ;  prepare  for  His 
return  in  glory  to  reign  ;  satisfy  the  dear  desire  of 
His  heart. 

We  now  examine  some  of  the  Scriptures  thus 
summarized. 

It  is  with  reference  to  continuing  his  work  that 
Paul  gives  expression  to  the  "  earnest  expectation 
and  hope  that  in  nothing  shall  I  be  put  to  shame 
but  with  all  courage  as  always  so  now  also  Christ 
shall  be  magnified  in  my  body,  whether  by  life  or 
by  death."  ^  A  bold  thought,  but  realizable  for 
every  servant  of  Christ  by  the  supply  of  the  Spirit 
of  Jesus  Christ :  making  larger  the  Christ  for  the 
vision  of  men.  Men  are  so  far  from  Him  that 
His  splendor  and  grace  do  not  appear  for  salva- 
tion until  they  pass  through  the  magnifying  lens 
of  consecrated  lives,  bringing  the  Saviour  near 
the  needs  of  ignorant  and  sinful  men.     Paul  has 

1  In  Isa.  49  ;  8.  «  Phil,  i  ;  20. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Christian     loi 

another  bold,  good  word  on  this  subject  in  Colos- 
sians  i  :  24-29  :  *'  Now  I  rejoice  in  my  sufferings 
in  behalf  of  you  and  I  am  filling  up  on  my  part 
that  which  is  lacking  of  the  afflictions  of  the  Mes- 
siah in  my  body  for  the  sake  of  His  body,  which 
is  the  Church,  of  which  (Church)  I  became  a 
minister  according  to  the  stewardship  of  God 
which  was  given  to  me  for  you  to  fulfill  God's 
word  (about  saving  the  nations),  the  secret  that 
has  been  hidden  from  the  ages  and  from  the  gen- 
erations but  now  was  manifested  to  His  saints  to 
whom  God  was  pleased  to  make  known  what  is 
the  wealth  among  the  heathen  of  the  glory  of  this 
secret,  which  (rich  secret)  is  God  in  you  Qews  and 
heathen  alike)  the  hope  of  glory:"  a  work  to 
which  the  Apostle  is  wholly  devoted  "striving 
according  to  the  energy  of  Christ  which  is  ener- 
gizing in  me  in  power."  Christ's  energy  is  dis- 
playing mightily  in  the  missionary  Apostle  the 
rich  grace  of  God  now  seen  to  include  the  nations. 
By  the  sufferings  in  His  own  person  Christ  Jesus 
redeemed  His  Church  ;  by  His  afflictions  in  the 
bodies  of  His  servants  does  Christ  gather  that 
Church  from  all  the  ends  of  the  earth. 

That  they  were  witnesses  of  the  things  of  Christ  ^ 
the  first  disciples  understood  and  affirmed  re- 
peatedly,^ and  they  realized  that  it  was  through 
them  that  Jesus  would  be  able  to  project  Himself 

1  See  Luke  24  :  48 ;  Acts  i  :  8. 

»Cf.  Acts  2:32;  3:15;  5  :  32;  13:31- 


102       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

outward  and  onward  among  men  and  accomplish 
that  for  which  He  was  come  into  the  world,  the 
greater  part  of  which  so  far  as  its  application  was 
concerned  must  ever  appear  in  the  work  of  be- 
lieving men/  It  was  only  after  such  universal 
testimony  that  Jesus  would  come  again  to  earth  in 
glory, ^  and  for  this  coming  followers  of  Jesus  must 
look  and  hasten.^  For  this  consummation  our 
Lord  waits,  while  also,  in  His  saints,  He  power- 
fully works  ;  waits  through  the  centuries,  waits  in 
confidence  until  His  witnesses  do  their  work  for 
Him.  Wonderful  indeed  is  it  to  think  how,  trust- 
ing in  the  promise  of  Jehovah,  Jesus  could  lay 
down  His  life  in  a  work  whose  success  depends  so 
largely  on  the  fidelity  of  redeemed  humanity. 

**  Jehovah  said  unto  My  Lord,  Sit  Thou  at  My 
right  hand. 

Until  I  make  Thine  enemies  Thy  footstool. 
Jehovah  will  stretch  forth  the  sceptre  of  Thy 
strength  out  of  Zion  : 

Rule  Thou  in  the  midst  of  Thine  enemies. 
Thy  people  offer  themselves  willingly 
In  the  day  of  Thy  power  in  holy  array ; 
Out  of  the  womb  of  the  morning 
Thy  youth  are  unto  Thee  as  the  dew." 
Thus  in  Psalm  no  do  we  see  the  picture  which 
has  its   growing   fulfillment   in   every  age  when 
missions  flourish.     We  may  see  the  New  Testa- 
ment counterpart  of  this  Old  Testament  vision  in 

^  John  14  :  12.  9  Matt.  24  :  14.  ^2  Peter  3  :  12. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Christian     103 

Hebrews  10  :  10-13.  The  spirit  of  Messiah  is  ex- 
pressed in  the  words  *'  Lo  I  am  come  to  do  Thy 
will"  (verse  9).  "In  which  will  (of  God  which 
w^as  the  law  of  the  life  of  Jesus)  we  have  been  set 
apart  (to  carry  it  out  along  with  Jesus)  through 
the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  for 
all "  (it  remaining  only  to  apply  that  "  offering  " 
through  our  Gospel).  In  contrast  with  the  daily 
offering  of  the  priest  "  which  can  never  take  away 
sins,"  ''  He,  when  He  had  offered  one  sacrifice  for 
sins,  for  all  time  took  His  seat  at  the  right  hand 
of  His  God,^  as  for  the  rest  awaiting  in  expectancy 
until  His  enemies  are  placed  as  the  footstool  of 
His  feet."  There  He  sits  to-day  awaiting  the  ful- 
fillment of  the  work  of  His  servants,  and  at  the 
same  time  working  with  them  in  the  abundant 
power  of  His  Spirit. 

5.  It  is  a  summary  inference  from  all  this  signifi- 
cance of  missions  to  say  now  that  here  the  Christian 
finds  the  best  possible  investment  for  his  life  ;  in 
partnership  with  God,  in  cooperation  with  the 
Holy  Spirit,  in  the  greatest  possible  service  to  men, 
accomplishing  the  greatest  work  of  the  ages  and 
bringing  to  pass  the  completed  will  of  our  Christ. 

Facing  death  within  two  days  and  facing  at  the 
moment  some  inquiring  heathen  Greeks,  our  Lord 
says,  "  The  hour  is  come  that  the  Son  of  Man 
should  be  glorified."  Facing  death  a  little  ahead 
and  inquiring  heathenism  all  around,  the  time  has 

1  Cf.  now  Ps.  1 10 :  I. 


104       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

come  when  every  saved  son  of  man  should  be 
glorified.  Jesus  lays  down  the  principle  for  us  all : 
**  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Except  a  grain  of 
wheat  fall  into  the  earth  and  die  it  abideth  by  it- 
self alone ;  but  if  it  die  it  beareth  much  fruit.  He 
that  loveth  his  natural  life  loseth  it ;  and  he  that 
hateth  his  natural  life  in  this  world  shall  guard  it 
unto  eternal  life.  If  any  man  serve  Me  let  him 
follow  Me  (and  we  should  know  now  where  He 
leads,  in  the  darkness  of  earth's  rebellion  and 
need)  and  where  I  am  (now  am,  not  shall  be  in 
glory)  there  also  the  servant  that  is  Mine  will  be ; 
if  any  man  serve  Me  My  Father  will  honor  him  " 
(John  12  :  20-26). 


THE  MEANING  OF  MISSIONS  TO  THE  CHURCH 
—THEIR  CONSERVATOR 

"  ^^HRIST  loved  the  Church  and  gave  Him- 
I  self  up  for  it ;  that  He  might  sanctify  it, 

V^^  having  cleansed  it  by  the  washing  of 
water,  in  a  word,  that  He  might  set  the  Church  at 
His  side,  glorious,  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle  or 
any  of  such  things,  but  that  it  might  be  holy  and 
blameless."  ^  The  Church  constituted  for  Christ 
an  entity,  unifying  in  one  conception  all  His  re- 
deemed on  which  He  lavishes  an  infinite  love,  in 
which  He  sets  His  glory  and  upon  which  He  sets 
His  hopes.  This  Church  He  will  set  by  His  own 
side  ;  and  we  find  Christ  and  His  Church  set  thus 
together  in  the  Scripture.  Christ  is  Himself  the 
Saviour  of  the  Church  as  His  body  and  nourisheth 
and  cherisheth  it ;  ^  or,  under  His  own  figure, 
builds  it  on  the  foundation  of  personal  experience 
of  Himself  as  the  Son  of  God.^  It  will  be  best  for 
us  to  study  this  Church  in  two  aspects  as  related 
to  missions. 

I.  The  Church  General:  i.  ^.,  the  spiritual  body 
of  the  redeemed,  apart  from  tangible  organization, 
since    no    organization   is   coextensive   with   the 

»  Eph.  5  :  25-27.  «  Eph.  5  :  23,  29.  »  Matt.  16:  16-18. 


lo6       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Church.  As  such  the  Church  \s  first  the  exposi- 
tion to  the  universe  of  God's  wonderful  wisdom 
and  glory ;  and  second  the  realization  of  Christ's 
body  in  its  completeness,  and  of  His  love  in  the 
world.  Thus  there  are  relations  to  God,  the  Father 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  so  the  Church's 
Father ;  and  to  the  Redeemer  Lord  whose  bride 
the  Church  is. 

(i)  In  the  first  chapter  of  Ephesians  ^  Paul  gives 
a  remarkable  outline  of  the  Christian  call  in 
its  logical  stages  and  relations :  (i)  in  the  loving 
foreordination  of  the  Father,  choosing  us  in 
Christ  (verses  3-6) ;  (2)  in  the  gracious  historical 
redemption  in  the  blood  of  the  Saviour  (verses 
7-13  a) ;  (3)  in  the  pledging  sealing  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  (verses  13  b-14). 

At  the  end  of  each  one  of  these  sections,  which 
together  compass  the  entire  scheme,  scope  and 
plan  of  redemption,  the  Apostle  is  careful  to  in- 
sist :  that  the  entire  work  is  **  according  to  the 
pleasure  of  God's  will  for  the  praise  of  the  glory  of 
His  grace  wherein  He  was  gracious  to  us  in  the 
Beloved  "  (verse  6) ;  that  the  unfolding  of  the  plan 
was  wise  and  prudent,  regarding  **  the  fullness  of 
the  times,"  still  **  in  accordance  with  the  purpose 
of  Him  who  worketh  all  things  according  to  the 
counsel  of  His  will,  to  the  end  that  we  should  be 
unto  the  praise  of  His  glory"  (verse  12)  ;  that  the 

*  Remember  that  this  is  a  general  letter  to  several  churches  in  the 
province  of  Asia. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Church      107 

final  complete  redemption  of  God's  own  sealed 
possession  is  to  be  "  unto  the  praise  of  His  glory" 
(verse  14). 

So  in  chapter  three  the  Apostle  tells  how  the 
secret  plan  of  redemption's  progress  has  now  been 
revealed  wherein  the  **  bringing  to  the  nations  the 
good  tidings  of  the  unsearchable  riches  of  the 
Messiah  and  the  making  all  men  see  how  God  has 
disposed  the  ages"  looks  to  the  end  **that  now 
unto  principalities  and  powers  in  the  "heavenlies 
might  be  made  known  through  the  Church  the 
many-sided  ^  wisdom  of  God"  (verses  8-11).^ 

With  such  a  function  it  is  small  wonder  that  no 
part  of  the  Church,  no  age  of  its  history  shall  be 
made  perfect  apart  from  the  whole,  God  having 
provided  some  better  thing  for  us.^ 

Seeing  such  a  relation  of  the  Church  to  the 
eternal  God  we  may  well  ponder  deeply  the  prayer 
to  which  the  Apostle  calls  us  when  he  has  outlined 
the  redemption  call  of  our  God.  Find  it  in  Ephe- 
sians  i  :  15  ff.  "  On  this  account  I,  too,  on  hearing 
of  the  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  that  is  with  you,  and 
of  the  love  which  includes  all  God's  holy  ones  (His 
Church,  then)  do  not  cease  giving  thanks  in  your 
behalf,  making  mention  in  my  prayers  that  the 

'  Literally  «  many-colored,"  hence  showing  itself  only  partially  at  a 
given  moment  and  requiring  time  for  its  full  understanding  and  ap- 
preciation. 

5  Cf.  Chap.  I  where  this  entire  passage  is  discussed. 

3  Heb.  II  :40. 


lo8        Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  glory, 
may  give  you  a  spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation  in 
the  accurate  knowledge  ^  of  Him  (Christ),  the  eyes 
of  your  hearts  having  been  opened  to  the  end  that 
you  may  know  (three  things),  (i)  What  is  the  hope 
of  His  calling  (/.  ^.,  what  God  looked  forward  to 
in  calling  you,  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  His  grace 
so  emphasized  in  the  argument  that  leads  up  to 
this  prayer),  (2)  What  is  the  riches  of  the  glory  of 
God's  inheritance  in  His  saints  (what  comes  to 
God  Himself  when  the  redeemed  are  set  apart  for 
Him  in  Christ  Jesus),  (3)  What  is  the  abounding 
magnitude  of  God's  power  (coming)  into  us  who 
have  faith,  even  in  accordance  with  the  energy  of 
the  might  of  His  strength  which  He  showed  in  the 
Messiah  when  He  raised  Him  from  the  dead  and 
set  Him  down  at  His  own  right  hand  in  the 
heavenlies  up  beyond  every  rule  and  authority 
and  power  and  lordship  and  every  name  that  is 
called  not  only  in  this  age  but  also  in  the  coming 
age."  Such  is  God's  relation  to,  and  estimate  of, 
His  Church  which  He  wishes  us  to  understand. 

*'  Now  to  Him  that  is  able  to  establish  you  ac- 
cording to  my  Gospel  and  the  heralding  of  Jesus 
Christ,  in  accordance  with  the  revelation  of  a  se- 
cret hidden  for  age-times  but  now  both  manifested 
by  means  of  prophetic  Scriptures  and,  according 
to  the  commandment  of  the  God  of  the  ages,  made 
known  unto  all  the  nations  with  a  view  to  their 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Church      109 

obedience  of  faith :  to  the  only,  wise  God  (His 
wisdom  manifest)  through  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom 
be  the  glory  forever.  Amen"  (Rom.  16:25-27).^ 
As  the  Church  makes  known  her  Lord  does  she 
reveal  the  wisdom  and  effect  the  glory  of  God  in 
the  universe. 

(2)  In  the  account  of  his  prayer  for  his  readers 
in  the  first  chapter  of  Ephesians  Paul  came  to 
speak  of  the  exaltation  of  Jesus  by  His  Father : 
he  then,  adds,  '*  And  all  things  He  arranged  in 
subjection  under  His  (the  Son's)  feet,  and  Him  He 
gave  as  head  over  all  things  to  the  Church  which 
is  His  body,  the  fullness  of  Him  who  fills  all  things 
in  all  respects."  ^  The  Church  is  the  fullness — the 
full  expression — of  Christ  who  contains  in  Himself 
all  God's  redemptive  plan  and  work.  Not  only 
does  this  belong  to  the  passage  here  which  has 
just  told  how  God  exalted  Him ;  but  in  Colossians 
I  :  19  and  2  19  we  are  told  how  it  was  pleasing 
that  in  Christ  should  **  dwell  bodily  all  the  fullness 
of  God."  There  is  no  redemptive  act  or  move- 
ment of  God  that  the  Scriptures  do  not  locate  as 
in  Christ,  just  as  there  is  no  movement  of  man  in 
redemption  that  is  at  all  available  apart  from  Je- 
sus. He  is  emphatically,  for  God  and  for  man, 
the  Redeemer.  What  limitless  contents  must  be 
crowded  into  this  conception  of  the  Church,  the 
body  of  Christ,  as  herself  in  turn  the  fullness  of 

»Cf.    11:33-36;    Phil.  4:20;  I  Tim.  1:17;  i  Pet.  4:11;  Jude 
24-25 ;  Rev.  1:6.  *  Verses  22-23. 


no       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Him  that  in  all  respects  fills  all.  We  do  not  need 
here  to  consider  the  Gnostic  error  which  has  in- 
fluenced, by  its  negation,  the  form  of  Paul's  ex- 
pression, for,  entirely  apart  from  that,  we  have 
here  a  clear  statement  of  a  transcendent  truth. ^ 

In  Ephesians  4:8-16  we  find  the  practical  state- 
ment of  the  principle,  first  given  in  its  abstract, 
general  form  in  the  passages  just  now  under  con- 
sideration. With  chapter  four  we  reach  the  turn 
in  the  argument.  Up  to  this  point  there  is  an  ex- 
position of  the  call  of  God  ;  from  this  point  there 
is  an  appeal  that  we  shall  live  worthily  of  the  call- 
ing wherewith  we  are  called,  with  instructions  for 
this  worthy  walk.  First  of  all  is  a  plea  for  unity 
in  the  Church  (verses  3-6),  along  with  the  recog- 
nition of  individual  responsibility  for  the  personal 
gift  to  each  one  from  Christ  (verse  7).  Then  the 
gifts  to  the  Church  and  their  purpose  are  pre- 
sented :  **  Wherefore  He  saith  :  When  He  ascended 
on  high  He  led  captive  a  band  of  captives, 
and  distributed  gifts  unto  men.  .  .  .  He  that 
descended  is  the  same  also  that  ascended  far 
above  the  heavens  that  (in  this  position  of  au- 
thority and  power)  He  might  fill  all  things 
(carrying  to  full  completion  His  work  of  redeem- 
ing and  subjecting  all  things  to  God)."  His 
band  of  captives  was  just  those  men  whom 
the  Father  had  given  Jesus  out  of  the  world  and 
whom  He  had  bound  inseparably  to  Himself,  for 

*  Cf.  in  this  connection  John  i :  1-3. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Church      1 1 1 

His  service.  These  He  now  distributes,  in  His 
wisdom,  to  men.  "  And  He  gave  some  as  apos- 
tles, and  some  as  prophets,  and  some  as  evangel- 
ists, and  some  as  pastors  an4  teachers  (pastor- 
teachers),  for  the  purpose  of  perfecting  the  saints 
for  the  work  of  service  to  the  end  of  building  up 
the  body  of  the  Messiah  until  (to  the  extent  that) 
we  all  (all  that  go  to  make  up  that  body)  come  fully 
into  the  unity  of  the  faith  and  the  accurate  knowl- 
edge of  the  Son  of  God  (and  so  come  also)  into 
full  manhood,  unto  the  standard  of  the  stature  of 
the  fullness  of  the  Messiah" — until  the  Messiah's 
wish  and  work  are  fully  accomplished  in  the 
Church.  And  now,  indicating  the  growth  needed 
(verse  14)  the  end  is  further  indicated  with  a  slight 
change  of  figure  :  **  but  being  true  in  love  may  in 
all  respects  grow  into  Him  who  is  the  Head, 
Christ,  from  whom  all  the  body,  fitly  framed  and 
knit  together,  through  every  joint  of  the  supply 
(given  by  the  ascended  Christ)  according  to  the 
working  in  due  measure  of  each  separate  part 
makes  increase  of  the  body  to  the  building  up  of 
itself,  in  love."  All  these  classes  of  ministers 
are  given  with  a  view  to  perfecting  the  private 
saints  in  service  so  that  the  body  of  Christ  may 
come  to  full  and  complete  maturity — until  the 
Perfect  Head  shall  have  a  complete  body  with  all 
its  elements,  every  part,  in  place  and  perfect. 
Here  is  the  concrete  application,  for  human  serv- 
ice, of  "  the  plan  of  the  ages  laid  down  in  Christ 


1 1 2       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Jesus,"  unfolded  in  the  first  part  of  chapter  three. 
In  view  of  such  an  ideal  we  must  summon  our- 
selves to  join  PauFs  prayer  and  doxology  in  the 
latter  part  of  that  chapter.^  Remember  that  the 
prayer  was  about  to  begin  at  3  :  i,  when  the  Apos- 
tle turned  aside  to  explain  the  scope  of  the  re- 
demption scheme  in  order  that  we  might  say  to 
the  prayer  an  amen  intelligently  in  sympathy  with 
its  great  ideals.  Hear  now  the  prayer :  "  For 
this  cause  (because  God  is  in  Jesus  Christ  making 
a  new  humanity  of  the  broken  race  and  you  have 
been  called  into  it)  I  bow  my  knees  unto  the 
Father,  from  whom  all  idea  of  fatherhood  and 
family,  in  heaven  and  on  earth  is  derived  (and  so 
who  is  rightly  to  be  recognized  as  Father  by  all 
men — to  whom  all  ought  to  come  in  obedient  son- 
ship);  that  He  would  grant  you,  in  accordance 
with  the  wealth  of  His  glory,  ^  powerfully  to  be 
strengthened  by  means  of  His  Spirit  (coming  into 
and  energizing)  into  the  inner  man  (the  result  of 
this  being  the  further  gift) :  that  the  Messiah  shall 
dwell  through  faith  in  your  hearts,  you  being 
rooted  and  founded  (both  figures  are  necessary  at 
all  to  carry  the  great  thought)  in  love,  to  the  end 
that  you,  along  with  all  the  saints  (it  is  needful 
that  they  all  come  to  this  height  of  sympathetic 
understanding)  may  be  strong  enough  to  compre- 
hend ^  what  is  the  breadth  and  length  and  height 
and  depth  and  (in  a  word),  to  know  the  knowl- 

1  Eph.  3  :  14  ff.         2  Cf.  1 : 6,  12,  14.         »  Literally,  to  get  down. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Church      113 

edge-surpassing  love  of  the  Messiah,  in  order, 
finally,  that  you  may  be  filled  up  to  all  the  fullness 
of  our  God." 

When  we  take  into  account  the  relation  of  this 
prayer  to  the  entire  epistle,  its  specific  connection 
with  the  explanation  of  the  redemption  secret  of 
God,  in  this  chapter  ;  and  the  meaning  which  Paul 
always  puts  into  the  term  '*  fullness,"  we  cannot 
understand  the  prayer,  as  is  generally  done,  to 
refer  primarily  to  God's  love  for  ourselves  and  to 
our  coming  into  the  full  glory  of  God.  No,  the 
Apostle  seeks  in  the  saints  a  dwelling-place  for 
the  Messiah — and  he  has  not  used  the  article 
(6Xpi6ro<i)  carelessly  here — a  dwelling-place  for  the 
Messiah  in  the  true  humanity  made  strong  by 
faith  and  the  indwelling  Spirit,  so  that  in  us  the 
Messiah  can  go  on  with  His  redeeming  work. 
We  must,  to  this  end,  understand  the  broad  reach 
of  the  Messiah's  love  to  all  men  in  all  lands ;  its 
long  reach  to  all  men  from  the  first  age  to  the 
last ;  its  depth  reaching  to  the  gates  of  death  and 
hell ;  its  height  lifting  to  the  bosom  of  the  Father 
— a  four-dimension  love  that  truly  goes  beyond 
human  knowledge.  The  Church  must  come  to 
contain  and  express  in  itself  all  the  fullness  of  God 
in  redemption — must  indeed  be  the  fullness  of 
Him  who  in  all  respects  fills  all  things.  Is  such 
knowledge  too  deep  for  us  ?  Is  it  so  high  that 
we  cannot  attain  unto  it  ?  Hear  the  Apostle 
again,  speaking  by  the  Holy  Spirit :  "  Now  to  the 


114       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

One  who  is  beyond  all  things  able  to  do  abun- 
dantly more  than  we  ask  or  think — and  to  do  it  on 
the  basis  of  the  power  that  is  already  working  in 
us,  to  Him  be  the  glory  in  the  Church  and  in 
Christ  Jesus  (God's  glory  in  the  two  united)  unto 
the  generations  of  the  age  of  the  ages."  Are  we 
ready  now  to  join  in  Paul's  "  Amen  "  ? 

2.  We  must  now  think  of  the  Church  organic ; 
the  smaller  concrete  body  through  which  the  spir- 
itual body  expresses  itself  and,  so  to  say,  becomes 
conscious  of  itself.  In  this  smaller,  tangible,  con- 
crete body  chiefly  does  the  Church  exercise  its 
functions  and  discharge  its  obligations. 

To,  and  of,  such  a  body  Paul  wrote  in  i  Cor- 
inthians 12-14,  of  the  relations  of  the  members  of 
the  body,  calling  upon  all  to  recognize  the  same 
Spirit,  the  same  Lord,  the  same  God  in  all  their 
gifts.  **  For  as  the  body  is  one  and  hath  many 
members,  and  all  the  members  of  the  body,  being 
many,  are  yet  one  body  ;  so  also  is  Christ."  ^ 

'*  Now  ye  are  the  body  of  Christ  and  members 
of  it  each  in  his  part."  ^ 

In  such  a  local  organization  Paul  finds  that  God 
"hath  set  various  gifts,  beginning  with  mission- 
aries."^ The  term  can  hardly  mean  technically 
Apostles  in  this  connection,  while  missionaries 
renders  it  exactly.^ 

To  this  church  the  Apostle  says  :     "  Awake  to 

>  I  Cor.  12:  12.  «  I  Cor.  12:  27. 

»  I  Cor.  12:  28.  <  See  Chap.  IX. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Church      lij* 

soberness  and  sin  not ;  for  some  have  no  knowl- 
edge of  God  ;  I  speak  to  move  you  to  shame,"  ^ 
and  it  is  a  shame  to  any  such  Church  when  its  sin 
has  left  any  ignorant  of  God. 

Now  all  the  words  concerning  the  Church  gen- 
eral we  have  been  studying  will  find  the  channel 
for  their  practical  acceptance  and  application  in  the 
concrete  organization  we  now  have  before  us. 
One  may  note  especially  how  the  passage,  with 
the  most  concrete  illustration  of  all,  in  Ephesians 
4 :  3-16,  can  be  best  realized  in  concrete  organisms, 
and  it  is  significant  that  while  there  it  is  said  gen- 
erally that  the  ascended  Lord  **  gave  gifts  unto 
men'^  of  various  ministers,  in  i  Corinthians  12  :  28 
it  is  said  that  God  hath  set  in  the  church  (local 
and  specific)  various  ministers.  The  ultimate  aim 
is  the  same,  the  perfecting  of  the  body  of  Christ 
in  service  for  its  complete  life  in  Him. 

The  most  immediate  duty  of  the  concrete  small 
body  in  missions  is  to  deepen  and  perfect  the  work 
of  grace  intensively,  and  fully  to  evangelize  its 
own  locality.  The  standpoint  from  which  the 
New  Testament  presents  the  relation  of  this  church 
to  missions  leads  us  to  speak  rather  of  what  the 
church  is  to  missions  than  of  what  missions  mean 
to  the  church.  Missions  are  first,  the  organized 
church  is  afterward.  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is 
the  great  end  of  believing  prayer  and  labor.  One 
frequently  meets  the  question,  "  What  is  the  place 

1  j  Cor.  15 :  34. 


li6       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

of  missions  in  the  Church  ?  "  The  right  question 
is,  '*  What  is  the  place  of  my  church  in  missions?" 
Our  Lord  talked  constantly  of  the  kingdom ;  on 
only  two  occasions  did  He  speak  of  the  Church 
and  on  one  of  these  occasions  He  uses  it  in  the 
general  sense  as  equivalent  to  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  in  its  temporal  relation — the  body  of  re- 
deemed in  time.  ^ 

How  then  do  we  find  the  church  so  prominent 
in  the  thought  of  the  followers  of  Christ  when  they 
had  entered  upon  the  discharge  of  His  commis- 
sion ?  In  answer  it  will  be  well  to  note  first  the 
exact  facts.  The  Gospels  and  Acts  are,  of  course, 
general  historical  works,  though  Luke  and  the 
Acts  are  directed,  perhaps,  to  an  individual,  but 
with  a  universal  aim.  Of  Paul's  epistles,  Romans, 
Ephesians,  Colossians,  are  addressed  to  "  the 
saints"  in  definite  locations;  i  and  2  Corinthians, 
I  and  2  Thessalonians  to  definite  "  churches "  in 
their  organized  capacity ;  Galatians  to  "  the 
churches  in  Galatia  "  ;  Philippians  to  **  the  saints 
in  Christ  Jesus  that  are  at  Philippi  with  the  pastors 
and  deacons  " ;  i  Timothy  and  Titus  officially  to 
ministers  and  2  Timothy  semi-officially  also ; 
Philemon  is  a  wholly  personal  letter  to  one  of  the 
missionary's  converts  and  helpers  concerning  an- 
other convert  and  helper.  The  Epistles  of  James, 
Peter,  Jude  and  i  John  are  general,  2  John  to  a 
church  (probably)  3  John  to  an  individual  to  com- 

1  Matt.  16:  i6flF. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Church      1 1 7 

mend  his  heroic  stand  in  support  of  missionaries. 
Hebrews  is  an  appeal  to  Jewish  Christians,  a  class 
that  had  speedily  come  into  a  relation  of  depend- 
ence upon  the  larger  freedom  of  spirit  and  material 
possession  of  Gentile  believers.  The  Revelation  is 
addressed  **  to  the  seven  churches  that  are  in  Asia." 
Now  all  these  churches  had  grown  up  under  the 
labors  of  the  missionaries  and  to  conserve  and 
continue  the  work  begun  by  the  first  heralds  of 
the  Gospel.  The  identity  and  dignity  of  these 
churches  seems  to  be  carefully  guarded  and  Apos- 
tolic care  is  bestowed  on  each  one.  In  the 
small  province  of  Asia  each  city  must  have  its 
own  church  and  each  church  its  own  special 
"Angel"  through  whom  comes  a  message  pe- 
culiarly adapted  to  that  organization  from  Him 
who  walketh  in  the  midst  of  the  golden  lamp- 
stands  holding  their  stars  in  His  right  hand.^  He 
who  thus  guards  the  separate  church  in  its  locality 
is  the  same  who  **  made  us  for  a  kingdom,  priests 
unto  God  even  His  Father"^  and  **for  whom 
men  shall  pray  continually  "  ^  that  "  to  Him  shall 
be  the  glory  and  the  dominion  forever  and  ever."  * 
For  that  other  province  of  Galatia  Paul  writes 
not  to  one  but  to  several  churches.^  In  every 
place  where  converts  were  made  the  Apostles  were 
careful  to  organize  them  into  a  cooperative  body 
and  to  "appoint  them  elders  in   every  church," 

» Cf.  Rev.  1-3.  »  Rev.  1:6.  '  Ps.  72 :  15. 

*Rev.  1:6.  6  Gal.  1:2. 


1 18       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

encouraging  them  with  helpful  instruction  on  their 
entering  into  the  kingdom  of  God/  while  later  on 
they  will  return  and  visit  the  brethren  in  every  city 
where  they  had  proclaimed  the  word  of  the  Lord 
to  see  how  they  fared.^  How  these  churches 
shared  in  "  the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel "  beyond 
their  own  territory  we  shall  have  occasion  to  con- 
sider elsewhere. 

But  while  the  Lord's  missionaries  are  devoting 
so  much  care  to  the  founding  and  care  of  churches 
it  is  apparent  enough  that  they  have  not  lost  sight 
of  the  ideal  of  the  kingdom  of  their  Lord.  That 
fills  still  the  horizon  of  their  hopes  and  is  the  goal 
of  their  toil  and  sacrifice.  In  the  church  they  have 
found  the  effective  working  organization  of  the 
kingdom.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  con- 
stitution and  function  of  this  institution  are  in- 
cluded in  the  "  all  things  "  of  the  Master's  teach- 
ing.^ They  were  of  the  Lord's  founding  who 
acquired  each  one  with  His  own  blood,  and  were 
erected  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  appointed  over- 
seers for  the  flock  ^  and  "  he  that  hath  an  ear  " 
must  heed  "  what  the  Spirit  saith  to  the  churches."  ^ 
Every  such  institution  whose  existence  is  justifi- 
able came  to  be  and  continues  for  the  purpose  of 
extending,  deepening,  perfecting  the  kingdom. 
It  is  not  primary  but  secondary,  not  an  end  but  a 

*  See  Acts  14 :  22  f.  2  Acts  15  :  36, 

^Cf.  Matt.  18:  15-20.  4  Acts  20:  28. 

^  Rev.  2 :  7,  and  at  close  of  each  of  the  seven  messages. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  Church      119 

means,  not  existing  for  itself  but  for  the  kingdom, 
hence  not  eternal  but  temporary.  Between  the 
everlasting  kingdom  and  the  eternal  spirit  the 
church  serves  a  function  of  helping  the  one  in 
entering  and  extending  the  other.  It  combines, 
enlarges,  inspires,  restrains  and  conserves  the 
work  of  individuals  who  are  devoting  themselves 
for  the  Lord's  sake  and  the  Gospel's  in  seeking  the 
kingdom.  They  train  and  fit  for  service,^  and  be- 
come bases  for  further  extension.^  Such  being  the 
function  of  the  church  in  the  kingdom  we  may 
readily  sum  up  the  meaning  of  missions  to  this 
unique  institution : 

(i)  The  reason  for  its  existence — causal  and 
final  reason.  The  church  is  the  product  of  mis- 
sions and  exists  to  promote  them.  One  does  not 
forget  the  nurture  of  Christian  character  in  the 
members  but  this  nurture  is  **  for  the  work  of 
service." 

(2)  *'  The  law  of  the  life  of  the  Church  "  for 
Warneck's  words  ^  will  apply  to  the  church  local 
as  well  as  to  the  Church  general. 

(3)  The  supreme  proof  of  loyalty  to  the  Lord — 
a  test  which  applies  first  to  the  individual  Chris- 
tian and  through  him  to  the  church.  The 
church  is  a  lampstand  and  when  it  no  longer 
serves  to  illumine  the  darkness  the  lampstand  is 
removed  out  of  its  place. 

1  Eph.  4 :  II  ff.  «  Cf.  I  Thess.  1 :  8. 

'  "  Outline  of  the  History  of  Protestant  Missions." 


120       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

(4)  A  channel  and  conservator  for  other  bless- 
ings in  the  church. 

(a)  It  tends  to  promote  harmony  among  all  the 
churches  and  more  than  anything  else  conduces 
to  that  unity  of  spirit  and  faith  in  the  whole  Church, 
which  was  so  earnest  a  desire  of  the  Master  and 
care  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

(3)  It  tends  to  doctrinal  purity.  Of  churches 
as  of  individuals  it  is  true  that  willingness  to  do 
the  Lord's  will  brings  power  to  discern  between 
true  and  false  teaching.^ 

(c)  Brings  preparation  and  inspiration  for  all 
the  life  and  work  of  the  church.  The  educational 
and  inspirational  **  value  of  a  great  idea  "  is  be- 
yond compute.  The  idea  of  bringing  in  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  for  the  redemption  of  men  and  the 
glory  of  God,  once  it  becomes  the  formative  prin- 
ciple of  a  life  or  of  an  organization,  has  brought 
with  it  the  power  of  the  Infinite. 

History  quite  justifies  this  Scriptural  conclusion. 

1  John  7 :  17. 


VI 

THE  MEANING  OF  MISSIONS  TO  THE  WORLD 
—THEIR  BENEFICIARY 

THE  world  of  men  is  the  object  with  which 
God  and  redeemed  men  are  engaged. 
What,  then,  do  missions  signify  to  the 
world  ?  We  must  not  forget  ourselves  here.  We 
are  making  a  Bible  study  and  must  not  deal  with 
the  meaning  of  missions,  in  a  more  general  way, 
for  the  world's  commerce,  science,  education,  cul- 
ture, all  forms  of  human  progress — a  most  fasci- 
nating study  and  the  most  unanswerable. Christian 
apologetic.^  The  Bible  teaches  the  religious 
significance  of  Christian  missions  for  the  world. 

I.  Missions  bring  the  fulfillment  of  all  right  ^ 
religious  ideas  and  aspirations.  The  missionary 
meets  the  men  who  are  seeking  God  with  the  ob- 
ject of  their  search.  Before  every  altar  to  "  the 
unknown  God,"  in  temple  or  on  hilltop,  in  heart 
or  on  hearthstone,  the  missionary  is  able  to  pro- 
claim to  the  worshippers  :  "  What  ye  worship  in 

*  Cf.  "  Christian  Missions  and  Social  Progress,"  Dennis ;  "  Christian- 
ity and  the  Progress  of  Man,"  Mackenzie ;  "  The  Great  Commission," 
Harris ;  "  Missions  and  Culture,"  Wameck ;  "  Gesta  Christae/* 
Brace,  etc. 

121 


122       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

ignorance,  this  I  set  forth  for  you ;  the  God  that 
made  the  world  and  all  things  in  it.     .     .     ."  ^ 

Every  man  whose  heart  is  jealous  for  his  God 
cannot  but  have  "  his  spirit  convulsed  within 
him,"  like  Paul  at  Athens,  when  he  sees  the 
idolatry  of  his  fellow  men.  This  discerning  man 
sees  also  in  this  idolatry  a  ground  of  appeal  with 
hope  of  success.  Such  men  are  clearly  religious 
and  where  religion  is,  Christianity  may  be  ;  and  it 
must  be  if  man's  religions  are  to  reach  their  legiti- 
mate goal. 

One  of  the  mightiest  appeals  to  the  missionary 
spirit  of  the  Gospel  is  the  religiousness  of  human- 
ity. All  men  are  conscious  of  religious  need  ;  of 
dependence  on,  and  obligation  to,  somewhat  more 
and  higher  than  themselves  and  with  which  they 
would  fain  have  fellowship.  These  needs  and 
longings  find  expression  in  the  ethnic  religions. 
This  is  the  attitude  of  the  Bible  towards  honest  re- 
ligion in  heathen  men.  That  gross  immorality, 
sordid  and  licentious  self-indulgence  in  the  name 
of  worship  is  condemned  and  punished  by  the 
God  of  the  Bible  is  no  refutation  of  our  position. 
Pharisaism  in  the  name  of  Jewish  religion  called 
forth  the  most  unsparing  condemnation  from  our 
Master  but  this  involved  no  censure  of  their  law 
or  the  prophets,  every  word  of  which  He  would 
honor  in  their  fulfillment.  Missions  here  rest  on 
the  principle  so  grudgingly  accepted  and  so  slowly 

*Acts  17  ;  23  f. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  World       123 

adopted  by  Peter  and  some  other  early  disciples : 
**  Of  a  truth  I  perceive  that  God  is  not  a  respecter 
of  persons,  but  in  every  nation  he  that  feareth  Him 
and  worketh  righteousness  is  acceptable  toHim."^ 

The  quick  logic  of  slow  reason  may  conclude  : 
"  Then  there  is  no  need  for  missions."  Not  so  the 
righteous  mind  taught  by  the  redeeming  love  of 
God's  Spirit.  This  is  the  Spirit  that  bade  Peter 
go  with  the  messengers  of  Cornelius  **  making  no 
distinction,"  and  the  same  that  caused  Cornelius 
to  see  "  the  angel  standing  in  his  house,  and  say- 
ing. Send  to  Joppa,  and  fetch  Simon,  whose  sur- 
name is  Peter,  who  shall  speak  unto  thee  words 
whereby  thou  shalt  be  saved,  thou  and  all  thy 
house."  The  same  Spirit  also  it  was  who,  as 
Peter  began  to  speak,  "  fell  on  them  as  on  us  at 
the  beginning."  ^  The  conclusion  of  the  whole 
matter  was  that  "  to  the  heathen  God  hath  granted 
repentance  unto  Hfe."  * 

CorneHus  was  **  a  devout  man  and  one  that  feared 
God  with  all  his  house,  who  gave  much  alms  to 
the  people,  and  prayed  to  God  always,"  and  his 
prayers  and  alms  went  up  for  a  memorial  before 
God.*  God's  response  is  not  to  accept  him  as  he 
is,  requiring  and  doing  nothing  further.  God's 
way  is  to  send  to  Cornelius  a  missionary  of 
the  Gospel  to  speak  unto  him  words  whereby  he 
shall  be  saved,  and  others  are  to  be  saved  by  the 

1  Acts  10  :  34  f.  2  Acts  1 1  :  9-15.  » Acts  1 1 :  18. 

*  Acts  10 ;  1-4.     See  following  verses  for  further  reference. 


1 24       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

same  words.  Then  God  manifests  approval  in  the 
miracle  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

When  Barnabas  and  Paul  find  their  miracle  of 
healing  the  cripple  at  Lystra  rewarded  with  the 
ignorant  worship  of  the  natives  they  are  horrified, 
to  be  sure,  but  answer  sanely  :  **  Gentlemen, why 
do  ye  these  things  ?  We  also  are  men  of  like  pas- 
sions with  you,  and  bring  you  good  tidings,  that 
ye  should  turn  from  these  vain  things  unto  a  liv- 
ing God,  who  made  the  heaven  and  the  earth  and 
the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is  :  who  in  the  gen- 
erations gone  by  suffered  all  the  heathen  to  walk 
in  their  own  ways.  And  yet  He  left  not  Himself 
without  a  witness,  in  that  He  did  good  and  gave 
you  from  heaven  rains  and  fruitful  seasons,  fiUing 
your  hearts  with  food  and  gladness."  ^  The  spirit 
of  worship  is  not  at  all  condemned  but  is  used  as  a 
basis  for  the  good  news  of  the  living  God.  So 
great  is  the  sense  of  superstitious  worship  that  the 
missionaries  could  scarce  restrain  the  multitudes 
from  doing  sacrifice  unto  them,^  an  experience 
with  many  a  parallel  in  modern  mission  work. 

The  Word  of  God  clearly  recognizes  the  relig- 
ious faculty  and  its  groping  for  light  and  truth. 
Not  all  the  blind  are  without  the  capacity  to  have 
their  eyes  opened  and  many  that  are  deaf  to  the 
uncertain  voices  of  Nature  and  natural  insight  will 
gladly  hear  the  joyful  sound  of  the  good  message 
of   the  Saviour.     "  Bring  forth  the  blind  people 

*  Acts  14 :  15-17.  2  Verse  18. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  World      125 

that  have  eyes,  and  the  deaf  that  have  ears.     Let 
all  the  nations  be  gathered  together  and  let  the 
peoples  be  assembled :  who  among  them  can  de- 
clare this  and  show  us  former  things  ?  "     Challenge 
the    history   of   all  the  religions  of  the   peoples, 
and    their     present    condition.     Compare    them 
honestly  with  the  message  of  our  Christ.     "  Let 
them  bring  their  witnesses,  that  they  may  be  jus- 
tified, or  let  them  hear,  and  say.  It  is  truth.     Ye 
are  My  witnesses,  saith  Jehovah,  and  My  servant 
whom  I  have  chosen,  in  order  that  ye  may  know 
and  believe  Me,  and  understand  that  I  am  He : 
before  Me  there  was  no  God  formed,  neither  shall 
there  be  after  Me.     I,  even  I,  am  Jehovah ;  and 
besides  Me  there  is  no  Saviour.     I  have  declared, 
and  I  have  saved  and  I  have  showed  and  it  is  no 
new  thing  among  you  :  ^  therefore  ye  are  My  wit- 
nesses, saith  Jehovah,  and  I  am  God."  ^    Such  is 
God's  challenge  and  He  depends  on  His  witnesses 
to  convince  the  devotees  of  all  other  religions  that 
they  may  listen  and  accept  the  truth.     When  "  the 
love  of  Christ  constrains  us"  this  challenge  takes 
on  the  full  missionary  spirit  and  we  find  ourselves 
"  the  ministers  of  Christ  Jesus  unto  the  heathen 
ministering   in  sacrifice  the  good  news  of    God 

»  The  translators  indicate  by  italics  that  the  reading  « there  was  no 
strange  God  among  you  "  is  an  interpretation,  not  a  translation.  We 
submit  our  rendering  to  the  judgment  of  the  reader.  It  seems  to  fit 
exactly  the  connection  and  is  as  faithful  to  the  original  as  the  other. 

3  Isa.  43:8-12. 


126       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

so  that  the  offering  of  the  heathen  may  be  made 
acceptable  by  being  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Spirit."  ^ 
To  teach  the  heathen  how  to  do  acceptably  what 
they  blunderingly  fail  at  is  one  aspect  of  the  mis- 
sion opportunity.  Is  it  not  the  mission  of  the 
Messiah  "  to  guide  our  feet  into  the  way  of  peace  "  ?^ 

Be  it  so  that  "  the  ethnic  faiths  "  are  the  best  an- 
swers the  religious  spirit  of  man  can  make  to  the 
questions  of  man's  soul.  Christianity  is  God's  an- 
swer in  Christ  Jesus.  He  speaks  in  the  mission- 
ary. 

2.  Missions  bring  to  men  of  all  the  world  de- 
liverance from  religions  ignorance ^  superstition  and 
oppression,  "The  times  of  this  ignorance  God  over- 
looked but  now  commandeth  men  that  they  should 
all  everywhere  repent,"  ^  and  He  overlooked  that 
He  might  spare  them  until  the  fullness  of  the  times 
when  the  Gospel  should  make  manifest  the  savor 
of  God's  knowledge  in  every  place/  even  **  in  all 
creation  under  heaven."^ 

If  the  religion  of  humanity  constitutes  an  im- 
pelling appeal  to  the  Christian  to  give  God's  true 
message,  so,  too,  does  man's  irreligion  and  perver- 
sion of  religion  appeal  pathetically  for  restraint, 
correction  and  guidance.  The  ignorance  of  true 
principles  of  religion  and  of  all  else  that  speaks 
distinctly  of  God  and  of  the  destiny  of  the  soul ; 
the  superstitious  fears  and  hopes  that  hold  in  ap- 

»  See  Rom.  15  ;  16.  ^  ^Luke  1 :  79.  '  Acts  17  :  27. 

*  2  Cor.  2 :  14,  *  Col.  i ;  23. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  World       127 

palling  bondage  so  many  millions  of  the  race  of 
men  ;  the  bondage  of  spirit  to  slavish  fears  and 
the  bondage  of  life  to  priests  of  ignorance  and 
superstition  who  prey  upon  the  ignorant  dread 
and  blind  hope  of  helpless  reUgious  feeHng  ;  these 
appeal  with  powerful  pathos  to  all  who,  knowing 
the  Light,  will  stop  to  look  upon  the  condition  of 
them  that  are  in  darkness. 

The  clear  vision  of  the  Evangelical  Prophet 
who  saw  the  coming  Servant  on  whom  Jehovah 
would  put  His  Spirit  ^  beheld  that  Servant  with  a 
mission  to  all  God's  world  :  **  Thus  saith  God  Je- 
hovah, He  that  created  the  heavens  and  stretched 
them  forth  ;  He  that  spread  abroad  the  earth  and 
that  which  cometh  out  of  it ;  He  that  giveth  breath 
unto  the  people  upon  it,  and  spirit  to  them  that 
walk  therein  :  "  asserting  His  provident  care  and 
love  claim  on  all  men  as  a  basis  of  His  commis- 
sion to  His  Servant :  "I  Jehovah  have  called 
Thee  in  righteousness  and  will  hold  Thy  hand 
and  form  Thee  (shape  Thy  career)  and  give  Thee 
for  a  covenant  of  the  people,  for  a  light  of  the 
nations  ;  to  open  the  blind  eyes,  to  bring  out  the 
prisoners  from  the  dungeon,  and  them  that  sit  in 
darkness  out  of  the  prison  house."  That  Jesus 
regarded  this  as  spoken  of  His  mission  in  the 
world  He  has  Himself  made  clear.^    That  there  is 

» Isa.  42 :  5  fif. 

2Cf.  specifically  Luke  4:  i8ff.  where  Jesus  applies  to  Himself  the 
similar  passage  from  Isaiah  61. 


128       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

direct  reference  to  heathen  religious  corruption  is 
part  of  the  word  we  read  here  :  "  I  am  Jehovah, 
that  is  My  name  ;  and  My  glory  will  I  not  give  to 
another,  neither  My  praise  unto  graven  images  " 
(verse  8) ;  and  the  effect  of  such  practices  on  the 
standing  of  the  heathen  worshippers  is  also  an- 
nounced :  "  They  shall  be  turned  back,  they  shall 
be  utterly  put  to  shame,  that  trust  in  graven 
images,  that  say  unto  molten  images,  Ye  are  our 
gods  "  (verse  17).  Jehovah  has  fulfilled  His  word 
in  the  past  and  is  now  announcing  new  things 
before  they  spring  forth  (verse  9).  There  is  then 
a  prophetic  call  to  all :  **  Sing  unto  Jehovah  a  new 
song,  and  His  praise  from  the  end  of  the  earth ; 
ye  that  go  down  to  the  sea,  and  all  that  is  therein, 
the  isles  and  their  inhabitants  "  (verse  10).  Places 
heretofore  destitute  of  religious  knowledge  are  to 
give  glory  and  praise  to  Jehovah's  name  for  He  is 
now  going  forth  to  do  mightily  against  His  ene- 
mies (verses  1 1-13).  For  a  long  while  the  heathen 
have  been  left  to  develop  their  folly  and  helpless- 
ness but  this  shall  be  so  no  longer.  Jehovah  has 
"  held  His  peace,  been  still,  refrained  Himself," 
but  now  will  call  strenuously  against  such  a  state 
of  degraded  religion  (verse  14)  and  will  use  nat- 
ural powers  to  rebuke  such  ignorance  (verse  15)  ; 
*'  And  I  will  bring  the  blind  by  a  way  that  they 
know  not ;  in  paths  that  they  know  not  will  I  lead 
them  ;  I  will  make  darkness  light  before  them,  and 
crooked  places  straight.     These  things  will  I  do 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  World       129 

and  I  will  not  abandon  them"  (verse  16).  An  in- 
vitation is  urged  on  the  deaf  and  blind  to  see  and 
hear  (verse  18).  The  pity  of  it  all  is  that  the  peo- 
ple who  should  be  Jehovah's  servant  and  messen- 
ger to  these  in  darkness  and  ignorance  are  them- 
selves blind  and  deaf  (verses  19-22) ;  and  a  call 
must  be  made  for  some  to  **  give  ear,  hearken  and 
hear  for  the  time  to  come "  that  the  way  of  Je- 
hovah may  be  explained  to  men  so  that  they  may 
understand  how  His  displeasure  is  expressed 
against  religious  perversions  and  degradations 
(verses  23-25). 

Again,  in  Isaiah  44,  Jehovah  calls,  as  the  Only 
God,  King  and  Redeemer,  for  some  to  stand  in 
His  place  and  for  Him  call  to  men  and  declare 
His  past  dealings  and  future  plans  with  men. 
Those  who  offer  for  this  service  have  no  cause  to 
fear  or  be  afraid.^  **  Have  I  not  declared  unto 
thee  of  old,  and  showed  it  ?  and  ye  are  My  wit- 
nesses. Is  there  a  God  besides  Me  ?  Yea  there 
is  no  Rock  ;  I  know  not  any  "  (verses  6-8).  The 
need  and  the  hope  of  such  a  mission  is  seen  in 
the  utter  folly  of  image-making  and  the  utter  ig- 
norance of  the  priests  of  idolatry — **  their  wit- 
nesses see  not,  nor  know"  (verses  9-1 1).  The 
strenuous  zeal  and  care  with  which  a  man  employs 
himself  and  others  to  make  him  a  god  out  of  a 

1  Cf.  John  14 :  27  where  Jesus  uses  almost  exactly  this  language  to 
His  missionaries  whom  He  is  sending  out  for  just  the  work  portrayed 
in  Isaiah. 


130       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

tree,  other  parts  of  which  are  used  for  ordinary 
functions  is  a  pathetic  picture  (verses  12-17). 
"  They  know  not,  neither  do  they  consider  ;  for 
one  hath  daubed  their  eyes,  that  they  cannot  see ; 
and  their  hearts,  that  they  cannot  understand. 
And  none  calleth  to  mind,  neither  is  there  knowl- 
edge nor  understanding  to  say,  *  I  have  burned 
part  of  it  (the  tree)  in  the  fire  (for  warming  my 
body) ;  yea,  also  I  have  baked  bread  upon  the 
coals  thereof ;  I  have  roasted  flesh  and  eaten  it ; 
and  shall  I  make  the  residue  thereof  an  abomina- 
tion ?  Shall  I  fall  down  to  the  stock  of  a  tree  ? ' 
He  is  feeding  on  ashes  ;  a  deceived  heart  hath  led 
him  astray  ;  and  he  cannot  deliver  his  soul,  nor 
say,  *  Is  there  not  a  lie  in  my  right  hand?'  "  (verses 
18-20).  Surely  a  sad,  true  picture  of  the  state 
of  a  religious  spirit  in  religious  bondage.  And  the 
next  paragraph  is  an  exhortation  for  God's  people, 
formed  to  be  His  servant,  to  remember  these 
things,  "  for  Jehovah  hath  redeemed  Jacob  "  from 
such  bondage  *'  and  will  glorify  Himself  in  Israel." 
Missions  bring  to  these  **  prisoners  of  hope " 
the  power  to  open  their  eyes  that  they  may  turn 
from  darkness  to  light  and  from  the  power  of 
Satan  unto  God,  that  they  may  receive  remission 
of  sins  and  an  inheritance  among  them  that  are 
sanctified  by  faith  in  Him  who  died  **  that  He 
might  deliver  them  who  through  fear  of  death 
were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage."  ^ 

^  Acts  26 :  iS  and  Heb.  2 :  15. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  World       131 

3.  Another  aspect  of  the  blessing  of  missions 
to  the  world  is  that  therein  is  the  world^s  opportu- 
nity to  know  God.  It  is  by  this  means  they  are 
delivered  from  the  bondage  of  blind  religions  and 
realize  the  true  end  of  the  religious  impulses  im- 
planted forever  in  the  nature  of  man's  spirit. 

It  is  at  this  point  that  the  insufficiency  of  all 
non-Christian  religions  becomes  most  evident. 
The  deepest  cry  of  the  human  spirit  is  its  call  for 
God.  Of  the  three  fundamental  elements  of  re- 
ligion, dependence,  obligation  and  fellowship,  the 
peculiarity,  the  glory  of  Christianity,  is  in  the 
sphere  of  fellowship.  Other  religions  stress  de- 
pendence and  issue  in  fatalism,  or  emphasize  obli- 
gation and  enslave  the  masses  to  guilty  fears  ad- 
ministered by  oppressive  priests.  Not  one  of 
them  brings  man  face  to  face  with  a  God  who,  re- 
maining Himself  high  and  holy,  yet  knoweth  our 
frame,  remembereth  that  we  are  dust,  and  who, 
like  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children,  pitieth  them 
that  fear  Him  ;  whose  eye  is  upon  His  children  for 
guidance  and  His  ear  open  to  their  cry.  Moses  in 
the  beginning  had  challenged  Israel ;  **  For  what 
great  nation  is  there  that  hath  a  god  so  nigh  unto 
them  as  Jehovah  our  God  is  whensoever  we  call 
upon  Him?"  ^  Abraham,  the  father  of  believers 
in  our  God,  was  the  "  Friend  of  God  "  and  all  who 
come  into  His  fellowship  Jesus  calls  "  no  longer 
servants    but    friends."      "Truly    our   fellowship 

1  Deut.  4 :  7. 


132       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

is  with  the  Father  and  with  His  Son  Jesus 
Christ."' 

Now  contrast  with  this  the  best  ethnic  rehgions. 
Confucianism  knows  only  an  impersonal  heaven 
and  can  offer  the  soul  no  hope  for  fellowship  with 
even  the  highest  finite  spirits  ;  Buddhism  bids  the 
soul  seek  as  its  highest  good  absolute  indifference 
in  a  Nirvana  freed  from  experiences  ;  Hinduism 
has  no  holy  personalities  and  its  goal  is  the  loss 
of  one's  own  personality  in  the  indefinite  Brahma  ; 
Mohammedanism  offers  not  even  communion  with 
the  prophet  who  is  himself  far  down  below  the 
highest  heaven  of  Allah's  presence. 

Our  Lord's  deepest  lament  for  men  is  that  they 
do  not  know  His  righteous  Father,^  and  the  high- 
est good,  eternal  life,  consists  in  coming  to  know 
the  Father  as  the  only  true  God  and  Jesus  Christ 
as  the  one  sent  by  the  Father.^ 

The  great  sin  of  hating,  rejecting,  opposing 
Jesus,  was  that  men  were  thereby  missing  and  re- 
pudiating His  Father,^  and  the  consummation  of 
discipleship  to  Jesus  was  the  getting  to  be  at  one 
with  the  Father.^ 

This  meaning  of  the  Gospel  to  heathen  men, 
the  first  of  missionaries  has  summed  up  for  us  in 
Ephesians  2  :  11-22.  He  contrasts  the  condition 
before  the  Gospel   comes   with   that   into   which 


*  I  John  1:3.  2  John  17  :  25. 

*  Cf.  John  15  :  23  f.,  and  many  similar  passages. 
5  John  17  :  22,  etc. 


3  John  17  :  3. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  World      133 

the  heathen  are  led  under  the  good  message : 
*•  Wherefore  keep  in  mind  that  once  ye,  the 
heathen,  in  flesh,  those  called  Uncircumcision  by 
that  which  is  called  Circumcision  (it  is  only)  in  the 
flesh  (and)  handmade  (not  at  all  of  the  essence  or 
touching  the  spirit  where  religion  is  ;  keep  in  mind 
then)  that  at  that  time  ye  were  without  a  Messiah 
(since  ye  were  in  a  condition)  alienated  from  the 
commonwealth  of  Israel  and  outsiders  of  the  cove- 
nants of  the  promise  (of  redemption  in  God's  Mes- 
siah) ;  not  having  a  hope  and  Godless  in  the 
world/ 

"  But  now  (in  glorious  contrast)  in  Christ  Jesus, 
ye,  the  (very)  ones  then  far  off,  came  to  be  near  in 
the  Messiah's  blood.  For  He  (Himself  emphatic- 
ally) is  our  peace,  the  One  that  made  the  two 
(races)  one,  having  broken  the  wall  of  division,^ 
enmity,  in  His  flesh  having  nullified  (rendered  in- 
operative) the  law  of  commandments  in  dogmas 
(merely  dogmatic  injunctions)  in  order  that  the 
two  He  might  in  Himself  create  into  one  new  hu- 
manity by  making  peace  and  so  might  restore  the 
two,  in  one  body,  reconciled  to  God  by  means  of 
His  cross,  having  in  it  slain  enmity.  And  (in  ac- 
cordance with  this  view)  having  come  He  told  the 
good  news  of  peace  to  you,  the  ones  far  off,  and 

*  The  word  is  K6ff{xo<$. 

'Literally  "the  wall  of  the  fragment"  or  "of  the  breaking ":  an 
artificial  wall  that  temporarily  divided  what  in  God's  counsels  is  essea- 
tially  one  and  all  under  His  love. 


!/^ 


134       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

peace  to  those  near.  Because  through  Him  we 
have  our  access,  both  of  us,  in  one  Spirit  unto  the 
Father.  Take  notice,^  therefore,  no  longer  are  ye 
outsiders  and  men  not  at  home  (in  the  worship  of 
God)^  but  rather  are  ye  fellow  citizens  of  the 
saints,  members  of  the  household  of  our  God, 
having  been  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the 
Apostles  and  prophets,  Christ  Jesus  Himself  be- 
ing the  chief  corner-stone ;  in  whom  every  build- 
ing, fitly  framed  together  (with  the  rest),  grows 
into  a  temple,  holy  in  the  Lord,  in  whom  you  too 
are  being  built  in  into  a  dwelHng-place  of  our  God 
in  the  Spirit."  Such  is  the  changed  relation  to 
God  offered  to  the  races  of  men  in  missions. 

4.  Missions  mean  the  world'' s  chance  ^o  know 
Jesus  Christ.  All  turns  on  that.  If  Jesus  were 
only  man  and  still  such  a  Master  as  we  find  Him, 
the  world  needs  above  all  others  to  know  Him. 
When  Jesus  is  God  our  Saviour,  humanity's  need 
of  Him  is  infinite  and  imperative.  We  have  said 
that  religions  are  tested  by  their  offer  of  fellowship 
with  God  and  that  herein  is  Christianity  unique. 
This  fellowship  is  the  gift  of  Christ.  "Neither 
doth  any  know  the  Father  save  the  Son,  and  He 
to  whomsoever  the  Son  willeth  to  reveal  Him."  ^ 
But  the  Son's  announced  aim  is  the  fulfillment  of 
the  prophecy,  "And  they  shall  all  be  taught  of 
God."  ^ 

^The  uniform  meaning  of  the  particle  apa.         ^Cf,  Isa.  56  :  3  If. 
3  Matt.  1 1  •:  27.  4  John  6 :  45  ;  cf.  Isa.  54  :  13 ;  Jer.  31 :  34. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  World       135 

If  Jesus  "  is  the  propitiation  for  the  whole 
world,"  we,  when  "  we  have  beheld,"  "  bear  wit- 
ness that  the  Father  hath  sent  the  Son  to  be  the 
Saviour  of  the  world."  ^  "  There  is  no  distinction 
between  Jew  and  Greek  ;  for  the  same  Lord  is  Lord 
of  all  and  is  rich  unto  all  that  call  upon  Him ;  for, 
Whosoever  shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord 
shall  be  saved.^  How  then  shall  they  call  on  Him 
in  whom  they  have  not  believed  ?  and  how  shall 
they  believe  in  Him  whom  they  have  not  heard  ? 
and  how  shall  they  hear  without  a  preacher  ?  and 
how  shall  they  preach  except  they  be  sent  ?  .  .  . 
So  belief  cometh  by  hearing  and  hearing  by  the 
word  of  Christ."  This  argument,  which  PauP 
supposes  may  be  made  against  his  contention  of 
salvation  by  faith  in  Jesus,  is  admitted  by  him  as 
valid,  and  he  held  that  '*  by  the  word  of  Christ," 
all  are  to  have  **  the  hearing." 

Paul  again  exhorts  that  "■  supplications,  prayers, 
intercessions,  thanksgivings  be  made  for  all  men." 
"  This  is  good  and  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God 
our  Saviour ;  who  desires  all  men  to  be  saved  and 
to  come  into  full  knowledge  of  the  truth.  For 
there  is  (but)  one  God,  one  mediator  also  between 
God  and  men,  Himself  a  man  Christ  Jesus,  the 
one  that  gave  Himself  a  ransom  in  behalf  of  all, 
the  testimony  to  be  borne  in  its  own  times,  unto 
which  testimony  I  was  appointed  a  herald,  and  an 

1  I  John  4 :  14.  »Cf.  Joel  2 :  32. 

« In  Rom.  10:  12-17. 


136       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Apostle  (I  speak  the  truth,  I  am  not  lying),  a 
teacher  of  heathen  in  faith  and  truth."  ^ 

There  is  but  one  God  and  He  wishes  all  men  to 
be  saved  and  to  be  fully  instructed.  This  can  be 
only  if  they  know  Jesus  Christ  who  is  the  one 
Mediator  bringing  men  and  God  together.  This 
Mediator  gave  Himself  as  a  ransom  in  behalf  of 
all.  The  testimony  of  this  ransom  is  to  be  borne 
at  the  time  suited  for  it.  That  time  has  now  come. 
The  proof  is  that  Paul  himself  holds  appointment 
for  just  this  service,  to  teach  heathen  men  faith 
and  truth.  On  such  a  basis  rests  his  call  for 
all  his  churches  to  interest  themselves  in  all 
men. 

**  We  turn  to  the  heathen  "  because  "  so  hath  the 
Lord  commanded  us :  I  have  set  thee  for  a  light 
of  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  shouldst  be  for  salvation 
unto  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth."  ^  And  as 
it  was  in  the  days  of  this  first  missionary  journey 
so  it  is  still ;  **  On  hearing  this,  the  heathen  are 
glad  and  glorify  the  Word  of  God  ;  and  as  many  as 
are  ordained  unto  eternal  life  believe."  ^ 

5.  It  is  involved  in  all  we  have  been  saying, 
from  the  Word  of  God,  that  7nissio7is  mean  for  the 
world  the  only  hope  of  salvation.  This  truth  is  con- 
tained in  each  phase  of  meaning  already  studied 
and  is  declared  in  many  Scriptures. 

If  the  words  of  the  Psalmist*  are  true  of  this 

1  I  Tim.  2 :  1-7.  2  Acts  13  :  46-47,  quoting  Isa.  49  :  6. 

8  Verse  48.  4  Ps.  49 ;  7-9. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  World       137 

present  life  all  the  more  do  they  apply  to  the  life 
eternal : 

**  None  can  by  any  means  redeem  his  brother 

Nor  give  to  God  a  ransom  for  him 

That  he  should  still  live  alway 

That  he  should  not  see  corruption, 

For  the  redemption  of  their  life  is  costly 

And  must  be  let  alone  forever."  ^ 

Human  help  is  powerless  in  redemption,  which 
is  within  the  power  of  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ, 
crucified  and  raised  from  the  dead :  "  And  in 
none  other  is  there  salvation  ;  for  neither  is  there 
any  other  name  under  heaven,  that  is  given  among 
men,  wherein  we  must  be  saved."  ^ 

With  another  application  Paul  has  written  words 
that  summarize  the  attitude  of  God's  Word  on  this 
subject :  "  We  know  that  no  idol  is  anything  in 
the  world,  and  that  there  is  no  God  but  one.  For 
there  be  that  are  called  gods,  whether  in  heaven 
or  on  earth ;  as  (in  actual  fact)  there  are  gods 
many,  and  lords  many  ;  yet  to  us  there  is  one  God, 
the  Father,  of  whom  are  all  things  and  we  unto 
Him ;  and  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  through  whom 
are  all  things,  and  we  through  Him.  Howbeit 
there  is  not  in  all  men  that  knowledge.  .  .  ."  ^ 
In  Romans  10  Paul  insists  that  this  limitation  of 
salvation,  as  through  the  Christ,  applies  even  be- 

»  For  the  sake  of  clearness  the  order  of  verses  8,  9  is  reversed ;  cf. 
any  version. 

»  Acts  4:12.  .  3  I  Cor.  8 : 4-7. 


138       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

fore  the  Incarnation,  and,  as  we  saw  above,  accepts 
the  reasoning  that  men  cannot  be  saved  without 
the  ministering  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  We 
saw  also  above  the  emphatic  insistence  upon  the 
sole  mediatorship  of  Jesus  between  God  and  men  ^ 
which  must  be  duly  witnessed  to  all  men. 

Through  Isaiah  we  read  Jehovah's  declaration^ 
*'  Assemble  yourselves  and  come ;  draw  near  to- 
gether ye  that  are  escaped  of  the  nations  :  they 
have  no  knowledge  that  carry  the  wood  of  their 
graven  image,  and  pray  unto  a  god  that  cannot 
save.  Declare  ye  and  bring  it  forth  ;  yea  let  them 
take  counsel  together  (to  make  the  best  possible 
showing  for  heathen  worship) ;  who  hath  showed 
this  from  ancient  time  ?  who  hath  declared  it  of 
old  ?  have  not  I,  Jehovah  ?  and  there  is  no  God 
else  besides  Me,  a  just  God  and  a  Saviour  ;  there  is 
none  besides  Me.  Look  unto  Me,  and  be  ye 
saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  ;  for  I  am  God,  and 
there  is  none  else.  By  Myself  have  I  sworn,  the 
word  is  gone  forth  out  of  My  mouth  in  righteous- 
ness and  shall  not  return,  that  unto  Me  every  knee 
shall  bow,  every  tongue  shall  swear.  Only  in 
Jehovah,  it  is  said  of  Me,  is  righteousness  and 
strength  ;  even  to  Him  shall  men  come  ;  and  all 
they  that  were  incensed  against  Him  shall  be  put 
to  shame.  In  Jehovah  shall  all  the  seed  of  Israel 
be  justified,  and  shall  glory."  "  Seed  of  Israel  ** 
can  here  be  understood  only  in  the  Gospel  sense. 

1  I  Tim.  2:  5-7.  2  isa.  45  :  20-25. 


Meaning  of  Missions  to  the  World       139 

This  position  of  God's  Word,  so  fully  read  in  its 
pages,  has  been  decried  as  exclusiveness.  Such 
a  charge  forgets  God's  reason  for  this  position. 
**  If  a  law  had  been  given  which  could  make  alive, 
verily  righteousness  would  have  been  of  law. 
But  the  Scripture  shut  up  all  things  under  sin,  in 
order  that  the  promise  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ 
might  be  given  to  them  that  believe  ";  ^  and  ''  God 
hath  shut  up  all  unto  disobedience,  that  He  might 
h^ve  mercy  upon  all."  ^ 

Jesus  gave  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  to  His  fol- 
lowers because  only  by  this  Gospel  key  is  it  pos- 
sible for  any  to  enter  in.  He  gave  the  key  for 
admitting  and  not  for  excluding  as  the  Roman 
Church  seems  to  hold  and  as  overzealous  Protes- 
tant dogmatists  are  too  apt  to  suppose.  All  God's 
effort  looks  to  bringing  men  into  the  kingdom 
of  the  Son  of  His  love.  Instead  of  questioning 
the  righteousness  of  excluding  men  from  His 
kingdom  unless  they  enter  by  the  door  of  the  Re- 
deemer all  who  love  their  fellow  men  will  the 
rather  join  with  God  in  seeking  and  saving  the  lost. 

"  Deliver  them  that  are  carried  away  unto 
death 

And  those  that  are  tottering  to  the  slaughter 
see  that  thou  hold  back. 

If  thou  sayest,  Behold  we  knew  not  this  ; 

Doth  not  He  that  weigheth  the  hearts  consider 
it? 

^Gal.  3 :  21  f.  «  Rom.  II  :  32. 


140       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

And  He  that  keepeth  thy  soul,  doth  not  He 
know  it  ? 

And  shall  not  He  render  to  every  man  accord- 
ing to  his  work?  "  ^ 

That  all  that  has  been  adduced  in  this  chapter  has 
its  application  to  Roman  Catholic  lands  and  peo- 
ple should  be  obvious  enough  ;  and  the  appeal  of 
these  should  come  into  the  hearts  of  all  who  would 
see  zealous  religionists  find  '*  the  accurate  knowl- 
edge of  the  Son  of  God  "  ;  ^  who  would  see  the  wor- 
ship of  God  freed  from  the  ignorance  of  formalism, 
the  superstition  of  baptized  heathenism,  the  bond- 
age of  priestcraft  and  ecclesiasticism ;  who  would 
that  all  believers  might  *'  have  their  access  through 
Christ,  by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father  "  ^  and  "  come 
boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace  that  they  may  receive 
mercy  and  may  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need  "  ;  * 
whose  ambition  is  that  men  may  know  Christ  Je- 
sus our  Lord  and  the  power  of  His  resurrection ; 
who  pray  "  that  all  men  shall  be  saved  and  come 
into  clear  knowledge  of  the  truth."  ^ 

1  Prov.  24 : 1 1-I2.  8 Cf.  Eph.  4:13.  3  Eph.  2 :  18. 

4  Heb.  4:16.  61  Tim.  2 : 4. 


VII 

THE  MISSIONARY  MESSAGE 

WE  have  now  to  study  somewhat  more 
specifically  the  message  with  which 
missions  come  to  men. 

I.  First  let  us  undertake  to  state  the  content  of 
the  message.  It  is  a  message  of  salvation  to  sin- 
ners, a  message  of  reconciliation  to  rebels,  a  mes- 
sage of  light,  life,  love  to  men  in  spiritual  darkness, 
death,  despair.  Such  a  message  must  be  framed 
with  the  utmost  skill  powerfully  to  persuade  the 
rebellion,  clearly  to  illumine  the  ignorance,  and 
justly  to  remove  the  sin  and  guilt  of  them  that 
have  gone  away  from  God  so  that 

"  All  the  ends  of  the  earth  shall  remember  and 
turn  unto  Jehovah  ; 

And  all  the  kindreds  of  the  nations  shall  worship 
before  Him  (Thee)."  ^ 

All  these  conditions  are  met  in  the  person  and 
work  of  the  Christ  incarnate  "  who  was  delivered 
up  for  our  trespasses  and  raised  for  our  justifica- 
tion." 2 

(i)  It  is  to  the  risen  Lord  Himself  that  we  go 
for  the  first  unfolding  of  the  message  He  will  send 
to  men.     In  "  the  Great  Commission  "  on  the  day 

I  Ps.  22:27.  s  Rom.  4:25. 

141 


142       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

of  Ascension  the  chief  emphasis  is  laid  on  the  duty 
and  responsibility  of  the  followers  to  go  with  the 
message.  The  content  of  the  message  is  not  then 
given,  according  to  the  record  of  Acts  i  :  6-10. 
So  also  when  the  Lord  met  the  ''above  five  hun- 
dred" on  ''the  mountain  where  Jesus  had  ap- 
pointed them  in  Galilee  "  the  record  ^  does  not 
contain  the  content  of  the  message  :  rather  we 
read  that  Jesus  is  sending  them,  with  His  absolute 
authority  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  to  make  of  all 
the  nations  learners  of  Him,  pledging  these  new 
pupils  in  the  Teacher's  school  by  the  badge  of 
baptism  in  the  name  of  the  Triune  God,  then 
teaching  them  to  carry  out  in  life  all  the  Teacher's 
lessons ;  finally  pledging  His  own  continuous 
presence  with  the  messenger. 

For  the  summary  of  the  message  itself  we  come 
to  the  first  lesson  of  the  Lord,  alive  from  the  dead, 
with  His  timid  disciples.  We  find  the  record  in 
John  ^  and,  more  complete,  in  Luke.^  John's  ac- 
count :  "  When  therefore  it  was  evening  on  that 
day,  the  first  of  the  week,  and  when  the  doors 
were  shut  where  the  disciples  were,  for  fear  of  the 
Jews,  Jesus  came  and  stood  in  the  midst,  and  saith 
unto  them,  Peace  unto  you ; "  beginning  where 
He  had  left  off  with  them  three  nights  ago.  But 
how  much  has  come  to  pass  since  then  !  They 
are  slow  to  believe  or  to  comprehend.  "  And 
when  He  had  said  this  He  showed  unto  them  His 

1  Matt.  28 :  16-20.  5  John  21 :  19-23.  »  Luke  24 :  36-49. 


The  Missionary  Message  143 

hands  and  His  side,"  at  once  the  proofs  of  His 
identity,  the  ground  of  this  **  peace  "  He  so  insists 
upon,  the  pledge  of  eternal  love  that  makes  peace 
and  secures  it.  *'  The  disciples  therefore  were 
glad  when  they  saw  the  Lord"  and  it  is  to  be 
theirs  to  make  very  many  glad  by  causing  them 
to  see  the  same  Lord,  with  the  scars  in  His  hands 
and  feet  and  side  and  with  the  word  of  peace  in 
His  mouth.  "  Jesus  therefore  (because  joyous  ap- 
preciation of  Him  is  taking  the  place  of  gloomy 
doubts  and  fears)  said  to  them  again  (now  to  em- 
phasize and  extend  indefinitely  in  their  minds  His 
words),  Peace  unto  you  :  as  the  Father  hath  sent 
Me,  even  so  send  I  you."  How  the  Father  had 
sent  Him  He  has  been  telling  them  these  three 
years,  but  the  sum  of  it  is  now  made  up  in  the 
peace,  based  on  His  sufferings,  which  they  must 
take  to  men.  "  And  when  He  had  said  this  He 
breathed  on  them,  and  saith  unto  them.  Receive 
ye  the  Holy  Spirit  (thus  symbolically  bestowed  as 
soon  actually  to  come  for  their  work  of  proclaim- 
ing peace  to  men) :  whosesoever  sins  ye  forgive, 
they  are  forgiven  unto  them  ;  whosesoever  ye 
retain  they  are  retained."  He  will  now  rely 
wholly  on  His  disciples,  with  the  Holy  Spirit 
upon  them. 

Luke  has  the  same  facts  but  much  more  fully 
recounted.  Not  only  does  He  show  them  His 
hands  and  His  feet  after  the  first  message  of 
"  Peace  unto  you,"  but  argues  from  these  proofs  of 


144       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

identity,  and  then  eats  before  them  to  prove 
further  that  He  is  no  mere  spirit/  And  now  hav- 
ing brought  them  to  a  calmer  joy  and  peace  in 
His  presence  He  proceeds  to  make  them  under- 
stand Him  as  never  before  :  "  And  He  said  unto 
them,  These  are  My  words  which  I  spake  unto 
you  while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that  all  things  must 
needs  be  fulfilled,  which  are  written  in  the  law  of 
Moses,  and  in  the  prophets,  and  in  the  Psalms, 
concerning  Me.  Then  opened  He  their  mind  that 
they  might  understand  the  Scriptures."^  We 
must  at  this  point  pause  and  seek  to  reconstruct 
the  picture  Luke  intends  to  suggest  to  us. 

It  will  help  us  here  to  recall  the  walk  of  the  two 
to  Emmaus  ^  to  whom,  as  they  were  excitedly  dis- 
cussing the  strange  reports  and  rumors  of  resur- 
rection, Jesus  appeared,  unknown,  and  chided 
them  with  foolish  slowness  of  heart,  for  "  Was  it 
not  needful  for  the  Messiah  to  experience  these 
things  and  to  enter  into  His  glory  ?  And  begin- 
ning from  Moses  and  from  all  the  prophets  He 
interpreted  to  them  in  all  the  Scriptures  the  things 
concerning  Himself."  When  at  their  home 
**  their  eyes  were  opened  and  they  knew  Him  ; 
and  He  vanished  out  of  their  sight,"  they  recalled 
how  **  their  hearts  were  burning  within  them  while 

^  See  verses  36-43. 

'  Is  not  this,  in  part,  Luke's  equivalent  for  John's  saying  that  "He 
breathed  on  them  and  said,  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Spirit "  ? 
3  See  verses  13-35. 


The  Missionary  Message  145 

Jesus  opened  to  them  the  Scriptures."  "  And  they 
rose  up  that  very  hour,  and  returned  to  Jerusalem, 
and  found  the  eleven  gathered  together,  and  them 
that  were  with  them.  .  .  .  And  they  rehearsed 
the  things  that  happened  in  the  way,  and  how  He 
was  known  of  them  in  the  breaking  of  the  bread." 
It  was  upon  this  rehearsal  that  Jesus  came  into 
the  upper  room.  The  two  had  been  telling  of  the 
Scriptures  the  Lord  interpreted  for  them  when  the 
Interpreter  comes  to  take  up  His  own  task.  They 
now  stand  around  Him  in  peaceful  joy  and  amazed 
wonder  as  He  takes  now  this  roll,  and  now  that, 
and  goes  over  with  them  the  things  concerning 
Himself,  first  in  the  Law  of  Moses  ;  then  in  the 
Prophets  ;  then  in  the  Psalms.  How  their  hearts 
now  burned  within  them  and  how  the  hours  of 
that  eventful  night  ran  away  as  He  led  them 
from  roll  to  roll  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  from  Mes- 
sianic word  to  Messianic  word,  opening  up,  in  the 
Resurrection's  light  and  the  Spirit's  illumination, 
the  wonderful  scheme  of  Redemption  in  which  He 
was  the  Redeemer  of  men  !  How  many  sections 
of  the  Old  Testament  He  opened  up  to  them  and 
just  which  we  cannot  know.  One  may  feel  quite 
safe  in  suggesting  that  among  them  were  such  as 
these :  {a)  "  In  the  law  of  Moses "  :  Genesis 
12  :  1-4,  the  first  comprehensive  outline  of  the 
Messianic  plan  ;  Deuteronomy  19  :  5-6,  the  func- 
tion of  the  Messianic  race ;  Deuteronomy  10  :  12- 
19,  the  right  attitude  of  the  Messianic  people 


7 


146       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

towards  others  ;  and  from  the  laws  of  sacrifice  in 
Exodus  and  Leviticus  the  Messianic  types;  {b) 
"And  in  the  prophets"  such  passages  as  Joel 
2  :  28-32  ;  Micah  4:1-5;  5:2-5;  Isaiah  7  :  14 ; 
9:1-9;  II : i-io ;  19 : 18-25 ;  40 : 3-5 ;  42 : 1-9 ; 
43:1-13;  44:1-5;  49:1-26;  51:4-6;  52:13- 
53  :  12  ;  60 :  1-14  ;  Zephaniah  3  : 8-10  ;  Jeremiah 
16  :  19-21  ;  Ezekiel  39  :  21-22  ;  Daniel  2  :  44-45  ; 
7  :  13-14,  27  ;  Zechariah  2  :9-i3  ;  {c)  "And  in 
the  Psalms  "  these  are  obvious,  2,  22,  50,  67,  72, 
80,  98,  no. 

We  remind  ourselves  again  that  we  cannot  be 
sure  of  all  these  passages,  but  in  many  of  them  we 
can  have  no  question  that  we  are  following  the 
words  Jesus  interpreted  to  His  followers  in  the  up- 
per room  on  that  first  Lord's  Day  evening  and 
night. 

At  length  He  leaves  off  the  interpretation  and 
turning  His  eyes  upon  their  souls  He  said,  "  That 
is  how  it  stands  written  ; "  as  to  the  two  of  Emmaus 
earlier  He  had  said,  in  effect,  "  That  is  the  way  it 
must  be."  Thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  it  ought 
to  be  written,  for  so  is  the  will  of  the  eternal 
Father.  He  alone  who  reads  his  Bible  thus  finds 
in  that  Bible  what  God  put  there  in  the  interpreta- 
tion of  His  Son.  Jesus  then  proceeds  to  sum  up 
the  teaching,  giving  us  the  message  and  naming 
the  messengers. 

First :  "  The  Messiah  must  suffer,  and  rise  again 
the  third  day  ; "  this  is,  according  to  God^s  re- 


The  Missionary  Message  147 

vealed  will  and  plan,  and  according  to  the  history, ' 
the  basis  for  the  salvation  of  all  men. 

Second:  "That  repentance  and  remission  of 
sins  should  be  preached  in  His  name ;"  here  is  the 
universal  and  necessary  condition  of  that  salvation 
through  the  Messiah. 

Third:  ''  Should  be  preached  in  His  name  unto 
all  the  nations,  beginning  from  Jerusalem  ; "  there 
is  need  that  this  salvation  and  its  condition  be 
universally  preached. 

Fourth :  ''  Beginning  from  Jerusalem,  ye  are 
witnesses  of  these  things  ;  "  they  who  know  Jesus 
are  to  begin  where  they  are  to  proclaim  their  wit- 
ness until  the  message  is  carried  to  all  the 
nations. 

Fifth:  *'And  behold  I  send  forth  the  promise 
of  My  Father  upon  you  ;  but  tarry  ye  in  the  city, 
until  ye  be  clothed  with  power  from  on  high." 
The  power  to  make  the  message  effective  is  of  the 
Holy  Spirit ;  the  witnesses  are  to  wait  for  Him, 
but  expecting  Him,  they  must  wait  even  where 
they  are. 

(2)  If  now  we  turn  to  the  message  delivered  by 
the  first  missionaries,  we  find  that  they  follow  ex- 
actly the  lines  laid  down  by  the  Master.  Peter 
was  the  Apostle  to  the  Jews  and  Paul  to  the  Gen- 
tiles and  it  is  of  these  two  we  find  distinct  account 
of  their  message. 

Of  Peter  we  have  account  of  five  occasions  when 
he  delivered  the  missionary  message.     The  first  is 


148       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

on  Pentecost.^  Having  explained  the  cause  of 
the  remarkable  conduct  of  the  disciples  he  pro- 
ceeds to  his  message  :  "  Ye  men  of  Israel,  hear 
these  words  :  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  a  man  approved 
of  God  unto  you  by  mighty  works  and  wonders 
and  signs  which  God  did  by  Him  in  the  midst  of 
you,  even  as  ye  yourselves  know  ;  Him  being  de- 
livered up  by  the  determinate  counsel  and  fore- 
knowledge of  God,  ye  by  the  hand  of  lawless  men 
did  crucify  and  slay  ;  whom  God  raised  up,  hav- 
ing loosed  the  pangs  of  death  because  it  was  not 
possible  that  He  should  be  holden  of  it."  ^ 

Enforcing  this  fact  from  the  Old  Testament  Scrip- 
tures, he  declares :  "  Let  all  the  house  of  Israel 
therefore  know  assuredly,  that  God  hath  made 
Him  both  Lord  and  Christ,  this  Jesus  whom  ye 
crucified "  (verse  36).  Then  the  people  having 
cried  out  in  conviction,  the  preacher  tells  them 
what  to  do  :  *'  Repent  ye  and  be  baptized  every 
one  of  you  upon  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  unto  the 
remission  of  your  sins  ;  and  ye  shall  receive  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit."  ^  He  proceeds  to  enforce 
this  duty  and  then  the  three  thousand  are  taken 
into  the  fellowship  of  the  Lord's  followers. 

Here  we  find  just  the  points  Jesus  expounded 
for  them  on  the  Resurrection  evening  :  The  suf- 
fering of  Jesus  and  His  resurrection ;  declaring 
Him  to  be  the  Messiah  of  God;  on  account  of  which 
men  must  repent  and  have  their  sins  removed. 

*  Acts  2.  2  Verses  22-24.  *  Verse  38. 


The  Missionary  Message  149 

To  the  crowd  that  thronged  Peter  and  John  and 
the  man  to  whom  they  had  just  brought  healing^ 
Peter  explains  :  "  The  God  of  Abraham,  and  of 
Isaac,  and  of  Jacob,  the  God  of  our  fathers,  hath 
glorified  His  Servant  Jesus,  whom  ye  delivered 
up  and  denied  .  .  .  whom  God  raised  from 
the  dead  ;  of  which  we  are  witnesses.  .  .  .  But 
the  things  which  God  foreshowed  by  the  mouth  of 
all  the  prophets,  that  His  Messiah  should  suffer, 
He  thus  fulfilled.  Repent  ye  therefore,  and  turn 
again,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out.  .  .  ."  ^ 
The  same  message  with  the  emphasis  on  just  the 
same  points  and  the  outcome  is  that  "  many  of 
them  that  heard  the  word  believed."  ^ 

Before  the  Sanhedrin,  too,  instead  of  a  defense 
we  find  the  declarations  :  ^  **  Be  it  known  unto 
you  and  to  all  the  people  of  Israel,  that  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth,  whom  ye  cruci- 
fied, whom  God  raised  from  the  dead,  even  in 
Him  doth  this  man  stand  here  before  you  whole  ; " 
and,  then,  "  We  cannot  but  speak  the  things  which 
we  saw  and  heard.'*  The  death  and  resurrection 
of  God's  Messiah,  bringing  salvation,  and  we  the 
witnesses. 

In  the  same  way  Peter  presents  his  testimony  a 
second  time  before  the  Sanhedrin.  ^  "  The  God 
of  our  fathers  raised  up  Jesus  whom  ye  slew,  hang- 
ing Him  on  a  tree.     Him  did  God  exalt  at  His 

>  Acts  3.  2  Verses  13-19.  '  Acts  4  :  4. 

*  Acts  4 :  xo-20.  •  Acts  5  :  29-32. 


150       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

right  hand  as  Prince  and  Saviour,  to  give  repent- 
ance to  Israel  and  remission  of  sins.  And  we  are 
witnesses  of  these  things,  and  the  Holy  Spirit, 
whom  God  hath  given  to  them  that  obey  Him." 

Finally,  before  Cornelius  and  the  company  of 
his  family  and  friends,  we  hear  this  Apostle  again 
delivering  the  same  message.^  *'  The  word  which 
He  sent  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  preaching 
good  tidings  of  peace  by  Jesus  Christ  (He  is  Lord 
of  all)  .  .  .  whom  also  they  slew,  hanging 
Him  on  a  tree.  Him  God  raised  up  the  third  day 
and  gave  Him  to  be  made  manifest  .  .  .  unto 
witnesses  that  were  chosen  before  of  God,  to  us 
who  ate  and  drank  with  Him  after  He  rose  from 
the  dead.  And  He  charged  us  to  preach  unto  the 
people  and  to  bear  witness  that  this  is  He  who  is 
ordained  of  God  lo  be  the  Judge  of  the  living  and 
the  dead.  To  Him  bear  all  the  prophets  witness, 
that  through  His  name  every  one  that  believeth 
on  Him  shall  receive  remission  of  sins."  Here, 
when  for  the  first  time  the  good  news  is  being 
delivered  to  Gentile  (heathen)  men,  Peter  seems  to 
be  taking  especial  pains  to  follow  out  exactly  the 
lines  laid  down  by  Jesus  in  the  passage  we  have 
studied.  And  it  cannot  have  escaped  us  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  has  His  recognized  part  on  every  one 
of  these  occasions.  It  would  be  interesting  to 
study  Peter's  epistles  in  this  connection,  especially 
their  dedications.     But  we  must  forbear. 

»  Acts  10  :  34-43- 


The  Missionary  Message  151 

Come  now  to  Paul,  who  stands  alongside  Peter 
as  an  Apostle-missionary.  He  is  more  independ- 
ent in  thought  and  expression  than  Peter.  He  has 
come  into  his  knowledge  of  the  Messianic  Re- 
deemer in  a  manner  wholly  different  from  Peter 
but  it  is  to  the  same  Lord,  from  whom  also  he  has 
got  the  same  message  for  the  world,  as  any  one 
can  see  who  will  compare  the  message  to  the 
eleven  in  Luke  with  that  to  Paul  in  Acts  26. 

To  the  Corinthians  he  sums  up  his  Gospel 
(15:  i-ii):  "Now  I  make  known  unto  you, 
brethren,  the  good  tidings  which  I  preached  unto 
you.  .  .  .  For  I  delivered  unto  you  first  of  all 
that  which  also  I  received  ;  that  Christ  died  for  our 
sins  according  to  the  Scriptures  ;  and  that  He  was 
buried ;  and  that  He  hath  been  raised  on  the  third 
day  according  to  the  Scriptures  ;  and  that  He  ap- 
peared. .  .  .'*  Or,  as  he  expresses  it  in 
Romans  4  :  24  f,  where  he  speaks  of  "  us  .  .  . 
who  believe  on  Him  that  raised  Jesus  our  Lord 
from  the  dead,  who  was  delivered  up  for  our  tres- 
passes, and  was  raised  for  our  justification." 

The  human  response  to  God's  appeal  in  the 
risen  Messiah  required  by  the  Gospel  Paul  sets 
forth  in  his  address  to  the  elders  of  the  church  at 
Ephesus,^  **  testifying  both  to  Jews  and  to  Greeks 
repentance  towards  God  and  faith  towards  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

If  we  would  hear  Paul  delivering  this  message 

*  Acts  20 :  21, 


152       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

to  the  heathen  we  have  only  to  turn  to  the  account 
of  his  work  in  Antioch  in  Pisidia/  Here,  perhaps 
because  of  the  initial  character  of  this  w^ork  in  the 
missionary  preaching,  we  have  a  full  outline  of 
Paul's  sermon.^  He  shows  God's  progress  in  the 
history  of  grace  leading  up  to  the  time  when 
"  God  according  to  promise  brought  unto  Israel  a 
Saviour,  Jesus." 

Then  he  tells  how  the  Scriptures  were  fulfilled 
by  the  rejecting  Jews  :  "  And  when  they  had  ful- 
filled all  things  that  were  written  of  Him,  they 
took  Him  down  from  the  tree,  and  laid  Him  in  a 
tomb.  But  God  raised  Him  from  the  dead ;  and 
He  was  seen  for  many  days  of  them  .  .  .  who 
are  now  His  witnesses  unto  the  people."  Then 
after  showing  the  conformity  of  these  facts  with 
the  Scriptures  he  makes  application  :  "  Be  it 
known  unto  you  therefore,  brethren,  that  through 
this  man  is  proclaimed  unto  you  remission  of 
sins  ;  and  by  Him  every  one  that  believeth  is 
justified  from  all  things.     .     .     ." 

Later  at  Thessalonica  **  where  was  a  synagogue 
of  the  Jews,"  **  Paul,  as  his  custom  was,  went  in 
unto  them,  and  for  three  Sabbath  days  reasoned 
with  them  from  the  Scriptures,  opening  and 
alleging  that  it  behooved  the  Christ  to  sufTer,  and 
to  rise  again  from  the  dead,  and  that  this  Jesus 
.     .     .     is  the  Messiah."  ^ 

So  we  find  Paul,  just  as  the  rest,  making  the 

»  Acts  13  :  16  ff.  2  Verses  16-41.  »  Acts  17  ;  1-3. 


The  Missionary  Message  153 

main  points  of  his  missionary  message  just  the 
points  emphasized  in  the  Master's  instruction. 
The  Scriptures  show  that  the  Messiah  must  suffer 
and  die  and  be  raised  from  the  dead  ;  Jesus  has 
fulfilled  these  conditions  and  is  just  such  an  one 
as  the  Messiah  must  be  ;  repentance  and  remission 
of  sins  are  proclaimed  in  His  name.  This  con- 
stitutes the  fundamental  message  by  the  accept- 
ance of  which  men  become  disciples — enter  the 
school — of  Jesus.  There  must  follow  the  "  teach- 
ing them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have 
commanded  you."  By  this  message  the  mission- 
aries go  into  all  the  world  and  make  disciples — 
learners,  pupils,  school-students — of  all  the  nations. 

(3)  We  ought  here  to  sum  up  certain  clear  and 
fundamental  implications  of  this  message,  which 
the  Scriptures  abundantly  teach. 

(a)  The  need  for  the  message  is  universal  and 
absolute  because  **  all  have  sinned  and  come  short 
of  the  glory  of  God."  ^  Only  one  other  truth  is  so 
prominently  set  forth  in  the  Word  of  God  as  this ; 
and  it  is  God's  love  for  these  sinners.  The  sin  of 
Adam  and  the  law  of  hereditary  likeness  entailed 
death  upon  all  men.  The  first  epoch  of  man's 
rebellion  is  sadly  summed  up  in  Genesis  6 :  5-6 : 
"Jehovah  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was 
great  in  the  earth,  and  that  every  imagination  of 
the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  continually. 
And  it  repented  Jehovah  that  He  had  made  man 

1  Rom.  3 :  23. 


/ 


154       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

on  the  earth,  and  it  grieved  Him  (or  He  was  in 
grief)  at  His  heart."  The  outcome  of  the  election 
of  "  a  peculiar  people  "  is  tragically  set  forth  in 
Isaiah  53,  where  we  see  how  **  All  we  like  sheep 
have  gone  astray  ;  we  have  turned  every  one  to 
his  own  way,  and  Jehovah  hath  caused  to  fall  on 
Him  the  iniquity  of  us  all." 

And  the  climax  of  the  tragedy  of  sin  is  seen  in 
the  Christ  on  the  night  of  Gethsemane.  From  the 
upper  room  of  comforting  courage  He  goes  to  the 
garden  of  prayer  where  all  fail  Him,  even  the 
truest  and  most  trusted  followers  ;  then  comes  the 
multitude,  piloted  by  Judas,  and  we  see  the  Son 
of  Man,  betrayed,  arrested,  deserted  and  led  alone 
to  face  condemnation  and  death,  when  men  ''  de- 
nied the  Holy  and  Righteous  One  "  asking  for  the 
freedom  of  a  murderer  (taker  of  life)  and  killed  the 
Author  of  life.^  Then  indeed  met  the  tragedy  of 
sin,  the  tragedy  of  ignorance,  the  tragedy  of  weak- 
ness, all  to  be  overcast  with  the  supreme  tragedy 
of  love  ;  when  the  lone  Christ  is  led  to  an  accursed 
cross. 

In  Romans  i  :  18-3  :  20  the  great  missionary 
Apostle  demonstrates  this  universal  need  for  the 
Gospel  "  that  every  mouth  may  be  stopped  and 
all  the  world  may  be  brought  under  the  judgment 
of  God  "  that  they  may  be  ready  for  the  benedic- 
tion of  "  them  that  hear  the  joyful  sound  "  of  sin's 
remission. 

*  Acts  3 :  14  f. 


The  Missionary  Message  155 

Jesus'  use  of  the  term  "  world^^  as  the  antithesis 
of  godliness  is  a  pathetic  commentary  on  sin's 
wreckage.  '*  He  was  in  the  world  and  the  world 
was  made  through  Him,  and  the  world  knew  Him 
not."  ^  His  world  cast  Him  out  as  unfit — and  still 
He  will  not  give  it  up. 

(fi)  God  has  never  deserted  men,  nor  any  class 
or  race  of  men  ;  never  abrogated  His  claim,  sur- 
rendered His  control,  nor  lost  His  love  for  them. 
We  must  not  now  take  up  again  the  Scripture  as- 
sertions of  this  important  truth.^ 

{c)  God's  Gospel  is  designed  to  be  preached 
in  love  to  all  men  in  all  nations.  This  has  been 
abundantly  set  forth ;  but  it  has  never  been  taken 
seriously  to  heart  by  all  God's  people.  This  is  the 
very  meaning  of  the  promise  and  of  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  whose  first  work  was  to  make  "  men 
from  every  nation  under  heaven "  hear  the  glad 
tidings  *'  every  man  in  his  own  language."  ^  The 
confusion  of  the  race  by  sin  and  pride  ^  is  to  be 
corrected  by  the  restoration  through  the  Gospel 
of  the  Son  of  God. 

2.      The  development  of  the  message.  ^^^ 

( I )  The  clear  definite  missionary  message  could 
not  be  framed  and  its  proclamation  entered  upon 
as  the  task  of  believers  until  the  Lord  had  come 
and  fulfilled  all  the  things  written  of  Him  in  the 
divine  Scriptures.     For  the  Christ  is  Himself  that 

» John  I  :  10.  2  See  Chap.  II. 

» Cf.  Acts  2 : 1-13.  ,  4Cf.  Gen.  11:1-9. 


156       Missions   in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

message.  A  Christian  propaganda  was  not  pos- 
sible before  the  Christ. 

Still  He  found  these  things  written  of  Himself 
when  He  came,  and  it  was  by  putting  Himself  in 
relation  to  these  writings  that  Jesus  completed  the 
message  and  delivered  it  to  His  followers  for  the 
world.  So  that  in  a  very  real  sense  God  had  been 
making  this  message  from  the  beginning  of  the 
race,  in  His  revelation  to  the  race.  A  universal  ob- 
ligation could  not  lie  on  Israel  to  evangelize  the 
world  in  the  Christian  sense  ;  but  a  right  spirit  to- 
wards all  men  was  needful  and  obligatory  and  the 
missionary  plan  must  lie,  explicit  or  implicit,  in 
God's  revelation.  Otherwise  there  were  no  true 
revelation  of  God's  self.  He  could  not  truly  re- 
veal Himself  to  even  a  few  unless  that  revelation 
looked  ultimately  to  all  men.  If  God  would  ever 
undertake  to  reach  all  men  that  purpose  must  lie 
in,  and  shape,  all  His  revelations  to  men. 

Further,  if  when  the  Messiah  comes  He  is  to  be 
able  to  justify  Himself  in  His  true  universal  char- 
acter and  work  it  must  be  because  this  idea  is 
clear  in  all  God's  growing  word  to  men.  It  was 
just  this  argument  that  Jesus  used,  and  His  Apos- 
tles after  Him,  against  the  narrow  conceptions  cur- 
rent in  their  time.  By  this  appeal  Jesus  convinced 
the  first  missionaries,  as  we  have  seen.  In  the  Je- 
rusalem council  touching  the  receiving  of  heathen 
converts  ^  Peter,  Paul  and  Barnabas  present,  as  the 

»  Acts  15. 


The  Missionary  Message  157 

first  great  argument,  that  God  has  clearly  done 
this  work  and  approved  it ;  James  then  argues 
from  the  Old  Testament  that  this  is  what  God  has 
all  the  time  planned  to  do.  So,  too,  Paul  pleads 
his  Gospel  universalism  on  the  basis  of  Old  Tes- 
tament revelation.^  In  making  propitiation  for 
the  whole  world  Jesus  was  in  no  way  overreaching 
the  eternal  purpose. 

Once  more,  such  an  element  in  revelation 
is  essential  to  true  religion.  We  have  come  at 
length  to  understand  that  the  elements  of  a  true 
religion  are  in  their  very  nature  universal  and  in 
no  way  dependent  on  the  accidents  of  race  or 
place.  In  teaching  men  religion  God's  prophet 
must  reach  these  spiritual  and  ethical  fundamen- 
tals and  in  so  doing  proclaim  a  faith  at  least  po- 
tentially comprehending  all  men.  So  we  find  it  in 
the  preaching  of  the  prophets  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. 

And  again  must  we  have  such  true  religious 
teaching  and  at  least  some  measure  of  understand- 
ing of  the  teaching  to  afford  a  standing  place  for 
the  inauguration  of  the  Messianic  work.  An  en- 
vironment and  a  history  make  the  soil  in  which  shall 
spring  and  grow  the  world-wide  movement  for  re- 
demption. The  circle  of  spiritual  believers  in  the 
Hope  of  Israel  that  we  find  about  the  cradle  of  the 
Christ  are  a  part  of  the  necessary  preparation  for 
an  effective  cross  on  Calvary. 

I  See  Rom.  15. 


158       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Now  it  will  be  clear  enough  that  fully  to  trace 
the  giving  and  the  measure  of  men's  receiving 
this  full  revelation  of  God's  love  and  purpose  to- 
wards all  men  would  involve  examination  of  the 
entire  Messianic  element  in  the  Bible — a  subject 
on  which  many  volumes  have  been  written  with- 
out exhausting  the  subject.  We  must  here  con- 
tent ourselves  with  a  very  summary  outline  of  the 
facts,  seeking  to  point  out  what  bears  most  di- 
rectly on  the  idea  of  missions.  The  universality 
of  God's  claim  over  men  and  of  His  redemptive 
love  for  men  will  naturally  be  written  in  the  Old 
Testament  more  largely  than  is  the  fact  of  human 
agency  in  making  this  love  known.  The  latter 
element  finds  emphasis  in  the  New  Testament. 

In  comparison  with  the  volume  of  teaching  we 
find  very  slight  and  slow  apprehension  of  the  uni- 
versal claim  and  love  of  God  to  men,  and  but 
a  meagre  measure  of  sympathy  for  a  gracious 
purpose  towards  all. 

(2)  It  will  be  well  to  sketch  the  teaching  by 
historical  periods. 

(a)  Prior  to  Abraham  God  deals  with  the  race 
as  a  unit.  In  the  meagre  Bible  record  we  find 
little  revelation  or  religion  but  what  there  is  of 
both  belongs  to  the  race.  The  first  promise  of 
redemption  is  to  **  the  seed  of  the  woman.''  ^ 
When  sin  has  corrupted  the  whole  race  a  new 
racial  beginning  is  made  in  Noah  and  the  cove- 

^Gen.  3:15. 


The  Missionary  Message  159 

nant  of  God  then  made  embraced  all  the  sons  of 
Noah  "and  of  these  was  the  whole  earth  over- 
spread." ^  Thus  God's  common  relation  to  all 
humanity  has  a  history  of  millenniums  as  a  deep 
background  for  the  special  dealings  beginning 
with  Abraham. 

(b)  From  Abraham  to  Samuel  we  may  desig- 
nate the  constructive  period  of  the  elect  race.  In 
the  call  of  Abraham  and  at  each  stage  of  advance 
in  founding  the  Hebrew  nation  several  points  are 
kept  clear  and  distinct : 

( i )  Abraham  and  his  seed  are  to  be  a  channel 
of  universal  blessing.  How  this  stands  out  in  the 
call  and  covenant  of  Abraham  we  have  seen.^ 
When  Jehovah  is  about  to  destroy  the  cities  of  the 
plain  He  discloses  His  purpose  to  Abraham, 
**  seeing  that  Abraham  shall  surely  become  a  great 
and  mighty  nation  and  all  the  nations  of  the  earth 
shall  be  blessed  in  him.  For  I  have  known  him 
to  the  end  that  he  may  command  his  children 
and  his  household  after  him,  that  they  may  keep 
the  way  of  Jehovah,  to  do  righteousness  and 
justice ;  to  the  end  that  Jehovah  may  bring 
upon  Abraham  that  which  He  hath  spoken  of 
him."  ^  When  the  test  of  faith  came  in  the  offer- 
ing of  Isaac  *  Jehovah  renews  His  covenant  and 
Abraham  becomes  **  the  father  of  believers"  uni- 
versally ;  "  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the 

»  Cf.  Gen.  9  : 1-19.  «  Chap.  II.     Cf.  Gen.  12: 1-4. 

3  Gen.  18:  i8f.  *Gen.  22.    N.  B.  verse  18. 


i6o       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

earth  be  blessed  ;  because  thou  hast  obeyed  My 
voice."  Abraham's  manner  of  Hfe,  his  seeming 
ever  to  be  looking  far  beyond  the  mere  material 
possession  of  Palestine,  his  intercession  for  the 
sinners  of  Sodom,  all  indicate  that  he  understood 
largely  the  nature  of  his  call.  The  same  end  of 
God's  election  is  set  before  Isaac  :  "I  will  be 
with  thee  and  bless  thee  ;  .  .  .  and  in  thy 
seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed."  ^ 
In  the  same  words  is  Jacob  made  to  know  that 
the  flourishing  blessings  upon  his  seed  look  to 
the  universal  good,^  and  Jacob  saw  the  meaning 
and  in  prophecy  projected  the  blessing  on  Judah : 
**  The  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from  Judah 
Nor  the  ruler's  staff  from  between  his  feet, 
Until  Shiloh  come  (He  come  whose  it  is — 
Syriac) 

And  unto  Him  shall  the  obedience  of  the  peo- 
ples be." ' 

(ii)  In  taking  Israel  to  be  His  own  in  a  special 
sense  Jehovah  is  careful  to  affirm  His  ownership 
of  all.  Israel  is  His  in  the  midst  of  other  posses- 
sions, and  His  with  especial  significance  for  others. 
This  teaching  is  the  first  given  to  the  new-born 
nation  at  Sinai  ^  and  is  given  a  new  emphasis  at 
the  Jordan  in  Moses'  farewell  messages.^  It  is 
easily  evident  that  to  Moses  was  given  a  large 
share  of  the  spirit  of  universalism,  and  this  is  the 

1  Gen.  26 : 3  f.  »  Gen.  28 :  14.  ^  Gen.  49 :  10. 

*  Ex.  19 : 1-5.  6  Deut.  10 :  12-22. 


The  Missionary  Message  16 1 

more  remarkable  when  we  recall  the  many  reasons 
the  Israelites  had  at  this  time  for  ungenerous  feel- 
ings towards  other  people.  Israel  is  priest  among 
the  nations.  If  she  is  true  to  this  office  all  nations 
will  know  the  glory  of  Jehovah.  If  untrue  to  His 
religion  Jehovah  will  punish  and  destroy  the  na- 
tion. Provision  is  made  at  every  turn  for  the 
worship  of  **the  stranger"  whom  the  Hebrew 
must  "love"  as  Jehovah  "loves"  him.  In  the 
Deuteronomic  statements  the  "stranger"  has 
everywhere  "  one  law  "  with  the  "  home-born." 

If  in  the  times  of  "the  Judges"  we  find  Httle 
room  to  suppose  the  people  had  any  larger 
thought  of  Jehovah  than  that  He  might  meet  their 
needs  we  see  how  sordid  was  all  their  conception 
of  religion  when  "  every  man  did  that  which  was 
right  in  his  own  eyes.' 

(iii)  "  All  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  glory 
of  Jehovah."  This  is  the  ground  on  which  Je- 
hovah must  punish,  even  when  He  forgives,  the 
rebellion  of  His  people.^ 

(c)  In  ^/le  national  period^  from  Saul  to  the 
Captivity,  we  pass  through  the  glory  and  the  shame 
of  Israel's  national  existence  and  of  their  religious 
life.  The  wide  outlook  comes  into  prominence 
and  is  grounded  upon  the  principles  of  spirituality 
and  righteousness  which  give  it  a  permanent 
basis.  We  find  abundant  teaching  of  God's  uni- 
versalism  in  all  sorts  of  relations  and  all  sorts  of 

»  Num.  14 :  20  ff. 


l62       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

conditions  in  the  religious  exaltation  and  degrada- 
tion of  "  the  people  of  God." 

Because  of  its  position  in  the  history  and  in  the 
religion  of  the  people,  centring  as  it  did  in  Jeru- 
salem, the  passage  in  Solomon's  prayer,  dedicating 
the  first  temple  to  Jehovah,  is  very  remarkable, 
wherein  he  prays  :  **  Moreover  concerning  the 
foreigner,  that  is  not  of  Thy  people  Israel,  when 
he  shall  come  from  a  far  country  for  Thy  great 
name's  sake,  and  Thy  mighty  hand,  and  Thine 
outstretched  arm  ;  when  they  shall  come  and  pray 
towards  this  house ;  then  hear  Thou  from  heaven, 
even  from  Thy  dwelling-place,  and  do  according 
to  all  that  the  foreigner  calleth  to  Thee  for ;  that 
all  the  peoples  of  the  earth  may  know  Thy  name, 
and  fear  Thee,  as  doth  Thy  people  Israel,  and  that 
they  may  know  that  these  gates  which  I  have 
built  are  called  by  Thy  name."  ^ 

In  the  prophets  in  this  period  we  find  these 
teachings : 

(i)  God's  oversight  and  control  of  the  "na- 
tions "  and  concern  for  them.  A  large  section  of 
Isaiah  ^  is  devoted  to  their  "  burdens  "  ;  Amos  pro- 
claimed the  judgments  of  Jehovah  upon  the  six 
neighbors  of  Judah  and  Israel  "for  three  trans- 
gressions, yea  for  four,"  in  exactly  the  same  way 
and  on  the  same  general  principles  as  upon  Judah 
and  Israel.^  And  he  understands  that  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  are  as  the  children  of  the  Ethiopians 

»  2  Chron.  6 :  32-33.  « Isa.  10-30.  3  Amos  1-2. 


The  Missionary  Message  163 

unto  Jehovah,  who  brought  up  Israel  out  of  the 
land  of  Egypt,  and  the  Phihstines  from  Caphtor, 
and  the  Syrians  from  Kir.  ^  Jeremiah  understood 
his  prophetic  call  to  be  as  "  prophet  unto  the  na- 
tions "  ;  ^  and  besides  frequent  recognition  of  Je- 
hovah's hand  upon  all  peoples,^  he  devotes  as 
much  as  one-sixth  of  all  his  recorded  words  *  to 
**  The  word  of  Jehovah  that  came  to  Jeremiah  the 
prophet,  concerning  the  nations"^  in  which  Je- 
hovah's relation  to  these  nations  is  hardly  distin- 
guishable from  that  to  Judah.  He  punishes  them 
on  the  same  grounds,  by  the  same  means  and 
holds  out  the  same  hopes  of  restoration  to  some 
of  them. 

These  three  prophets  seem  really  to  understand 
God's  attitude  towards  all  men  in  common.  Jonah 
is  destitute  of  a  missionary  spirit  and  the  account 
of  his  mission  to  Nineveh,  successfully  preaching 
repentance  to  these  heathen  people,  serves  not 
only  to  declare  Jehovah's  attitude  of  mercy  and 
concern  for  all ;  but,  by  contrast  with  the  narrow 
spirit  rebuked  in  the  preacher,  puts  especial  em- 
phasis on  the  lesson  of  love  for  all. 

(ii)  There  are  clear  visions  of  the  unlimited 
work  and  universal  sway  of  Jehovah's  Servant  and 
King.  Already  He  is  master  of  the  nations  and 
all  must  at  length  own  His  rule.  Even  the  main 
outlines  of  the  course,  by  which  this  end  will  be 

*  Amos  9:7.  2  jer.  1:3.  »  Cf.  18  :  5  ff. ;  25,  27-28,  etc. 

«Jer.  46-51.  6  Jer.  46:  i. 


164       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

realized,  are  seen  already  in  such  passages  as 
Joel  2  :  28-32  ;  Amos  9  :  7-15  ;  Micah  4:1-5; 
Zephaniah  3  :  8-10 ;  Isaiah  2  :  2-4;  19 :  23-25,  and 
more  especially  11:1-12;  43:  8-13,  and  numer- 
ous passages  in  chapters  40-66.  ^  That  these 
peoples  from  all  lands  are  to  come  willingly  to  the 
attracting  ensign  of  the  Messiah  is  part  of  many  a 
vision  of  the  seers  of  God. 

(iii)  The  religion  of  the  prophets  is  of  such 
quality  as  makes  it  independent  of  nationality  or 
of  election,  as  the  Jews  understood  election.  In 
their  religion  there  is  one  God  supreme  over  all, 
ethical  and  spiritual  in  His  own  character  and 
in  His  relations  to  men,  and  His  demands  upon 
them ;  and  He  will  punish  sin,  if  need  be  even  to 
the  extent  of  destroying  the  chosen  people.  Such 
a  God  and  such  religion  are  essentially  and  inev- 
itably universal,  and  this  truth  is  seen  by  its 
prophets  with  varying  degrees  of  clearness. 

In  the  Psalms  of  this  period  ^  we  have  also  so 
much  material  that  we  must  merely  sum  up  its 
main  items  : 

(a)  All  the  ends  of  the  earth  and  all  classes 
shall  come  to  the  worship  of  Jehovah,  recognizing 
His  original  claim  over  them.^ 


*  Whether  these  chapters  are  to  be  placed  here  or  during  the  Cap- 
tivity, matters  nothing  for  their  use  in  this  connection. 

2  Of  course  one  cannot,  in  many  cases,  be  sure  of  the  date  of  a 
Psalm. 

3  See  e.  g.^  2a :  27  ff. 


The  Missionary  Message  165 

(b)  Some  set  forth  the  glories  of  God's  univer- 
sal reign  and  call  for  general  interest  and  exertion 
to  bring  it  to  pass/ 

(c)  Some  call  the  nations  to  worship  Jehovah, 
predict  their  coming  to  His  worship ;  see  in  the 
manifestation  of  Jehovah's  glory  an  impression  for 
good  and  glory  upon  all  men;  and  call  on  Je- 
hovah's servants  to  make  Him  known  unto  all 
men.^ 

(d)  From  the  Captivity  to  the  Christ  is  a  period 
of  national  subjection^  to  characterize  it  in  general 
terms,  during  which  the  experiences  and  the  en- 
vironment of  the  Jews  led  to  a  modesty  of  asser- 
tion while  at  the  same  time  they  fostered 
ceremonial  and  ethnic  exclusiveness,  and  also 
gave  occasion  for  a  more  wholesome  and  exalting 
influence  for  religion  than  Israel  had  ever  exerted 
before.  The  expectations  developed  and  cherished 
in  "the  Interbiblical  Period  "  do  not  belong  prop- 
erly to  present  discussion.  From  Daniel  and 
from  the  Temple  Prophets,  from  Ezekiel's  vision  of 
the  new,  restored  Jerusalem  and  the  stream  of  in- 
fluence flowing  from  its  temple,  and  from  the 
Psalms  of  this  period  we  see  abundant  evidence 
that  Jehovah  is  keeping  before  the  people  still  the 
assurance  that  His  kingdom  shall  rule  over  all  and 
that  His  people  shall  bless  the  whole  race  of  men. 
That  the  Jews  identified  God's  kingdom  with  their 
own  dominion  is  an  incidental  error  very  serious 

»  E.  g.,  72,  47,  65-68,  117.  «  Study  24,  96,  97,  98,  105. 


i66       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

for  them  but  not  affecting  the  spiritual  facts. 
See  Daniel  2  :  36-45  ;  4  :  19-27  ;  7,  12  ;  Ezekiel  40- 
48  ;  Haggai  2:4-9;  Zechariah  2  :  3-13  ;  6  :  9-15  ; 
8:  13,  18-23;  9:  9-10;  14-  16-21 ;  Psalm  145, 
especially  verses  6,  9-13,  21  ;  148:  11-13  ;  150  :  6 ; 
126  :  2  f. 

(e)  The  culmination  of  instruction  in  the  mis- 
sionary message  came  with  the  ministry  of  Jesus 
and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  whose  function  was  to  re- 
call and  enforce  the  teachings  of  Jesus  and  inter- 
pret His  life,  death,  and  resurrection  in  their  fullest 
application.  The  chief  ofhce  of  Jesus  during  the 
forty  days  between  His  resurrection  and  His 
ascension  seems  to  have  been  to  furnish  sufficient 
proofs  for  witnesses  to  the  reality  of  His  triumph 
over  death  and  to  impress  on  His  witnesses  their 
charge  to  bear  their  witness  unto  all  men.  Jesus' 
work  was  not  to  spread  the  Gospel,  but  to  make 
the  Gospel.  He  indoctrinated  the  dozen  that  He 
might  evangelize  the  millions. 

(3)  Through  all  the  history  of  revelation  God 
kept  standing  proofs  that  He  did  not  limit  Him- 
self to  Israel.  The  head  of  the  elect  race  found  in 
the  Peace-King  of  Salem  one  nearer  to  God  than 
himself  and  in  Abraham  all  the  elect  race  paid 
tribute  to  a  man  with  no  ceremonial  priesthood 
but  who  stood  before  God  as  a  prophet  of  peace 
on  earth.  Job,  of  the  land  of  Uz,  was  God's  most 
trusted  servant  in  all  the  world  in  his  day. 
Baalam  came  from  Bozrah  with  a  blessing  in  his 


The  Missionary  Message  167 

mouth  for  Jehovah's  people ;  Naaman  the  Syrian 
and  a  heathen  widow  of  Zarephath  served  Jesus  as 
examples  of  God's  wider  love  ;  Nineveh  stirred 
God's  pity  calling  for  a  preacher  of  repentance  ; 
Cyrus  and  Nebuchadnezzar  were  moved  by  God's 
hand  and  did  His  bidding  to  chastise  and  to 
cherish  His  troublesome  son,  Jacob.  God  kept 
ever  before  the  eyes  of  His  people  the  page  of  His 
wider  love  and  the  larger  meaning  of  their  election. 
By  word  and  work  He  was  ever  saying  :  "  The 
world  is  Mine  and  you  are  My  witnesses  to  the 
world,"  while  to  the  nations  who  had  dealings  with 
the  chosen  people  God  said : 

**  Touch  not  Mine  anointed  ones 

And  do  My  prophets  no  harm."  ^ 

We  are  bound  to  confess  that  God's  people,  for 
the  most  part,  miss  the  meaning  of  all  these  high 
teachings.  For  the  bulk  of  the  people  and  for 
most  of  the  time  the  facts  may  well  be  summarized 
thus :  An  elect  race  with  a  glorious  Messianic 
hope  applicable  to  all  the  world  and  entrusted  with 
a  Holy  Scripture  destined  to  enlighten  all  men  ; 
that  race  missing  the  end  of  its  election  degrading 
its  hope  until  it  fails  to  recognize  its  Messiah, 
hedging  about  its  Scripture  till  it  was  accounted  a 
sin  to  give  it  to  Gentiles.  Seeking  to  appropriate 
selfishly  what  was  entrusted  to  them  in  steward- 
ship Israel  lost  for  an  age  the  power  to  appreciate 
their  own  heritage. 

1  Ps.  105  :  15. 


i68       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Against  this  background  of  selfishness  and  in- 
tolerance shine  brilliant  exceptions  who,  with  vary- 
ing degrees  of  clearness,  fullness,  and  faithfulness, 
comprehend  and  foster  the  purpose  of  God. 
These  become  God's  prophets  to  humanity  and  so 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Under  the  leading  of  the  Christ  Himself,  even, 
believers  are  still  ''  foolish  and  slow  of  heart  to  be- 
lieve all  that  the  prophets  have  spoken  "  ;  slow  to 
accept  the  function  of  givers  rather  than  getters,  of 
servants  rather  than  masters,  to  be  in  the  feast 
among  men  "  as  one  that  serveth  "  rather  than  sit- 
ting in  the  seats  of  honor.  Not  Israel  alone  was 
slow  to  see  and  slower  to  sympathize  with  the 
divine  plan.  Early  Christians  were  slow  and 
modern  Christians  slower  still  and  much  of  the 
"  Church  "  since  the  day  of  Christ  has  been  un- 
faithful to  the  spirit  of  Christ.  To  win  a  kingdom 
by  the  quiet  way  of  loving  message  and  the  toil- 
some way  of  sacrificial  life,  while  following  One 
who  could  exercise  omnipotence  is  not  quickly  ac- 
ceptable to  men.  Where  the  Lord  would  seek 
and  save.  His  followers  wish  to  conquer  and  com- 
pel. On  the  way  to  Olivet  for  the  farewell  bless- 
ing the  now  commissioned  missionaries  still  wish 
to  know  whether  Israel  may  not  now  have  its 
national  restoration.^  They  know  by  this  time 
that  in  the  main  the  kingdom  of  the  Christ  is  spir- 
itual and  so  "  not  of  this  world  "  but  surely  it  may 

»  Acts  I  :  6. 


The  Missionary  Message  169 

include  the  restoring  **  the  kingdom  to  Israel." 
They  are  not  ready  to  make  it  their  whole,  sole  busi- 
ness to  bear  witness  to  Jesus  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 

After  Pentecost  persecutions  must  scatter  and 
evil  circumstance  compel ;  visions  must  lead  and 
providences  prove ;  and  the  Holy  Spirit  must  at- 
test before  Peter  and  others  will  see.  Even  then 
many  are  convinced  without  being  converted. 

It  is  significant  that  the  first  recorded  instance 
of  the  arraignment  of  a  member  before  a  church 
was  Peter  for  going  to  Cornelius,  and  but  for  his 
foresight  in  providing  himself  with  six  good  wit- 
nesses there  is  no  knowing  what  the  result  might 
have  been.^ 

The  lesson  was  not  fully  learned  even  under 
Apostolic  lead.  A  Judaizing,  anti-missionary  party 
arose  which  was  the  bane  of  Paul's  life  and  which 
but  for  that  powerful  Apostle  would  have  doomed 
the  new  Way  to  the  poor  destiny  of  a  Jewish  sect. 

Late  in  the  century  near  friends  of  the  Apostle 
John  suffer  exclusion  from  their  church  for  the 
support  of  missionaries.^  Until  this  day  there  are 
many  who  for  the  evangelizing  of  the  world  await 
the  catastrophe  of  our  Lord's  return  ;  many  rely 
on  the  movements  of  God's  political  providences  ; 
many  are  wholly  unconcerned. 

Through  it  all  some  have  understood  and  pro- 
claimed and  Christ  has  triumphed ;  and  will  to 
the  end. 
*  Acts  1 1 :  1-18.  *  3  John  to. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE  MISSIONARY  PLAN 

THE  essentials  of  the  plan  for  carrying  to 
the  world  the  Gospel  of  the  Christ  we 
would  expect  to  be  given  to  the  wit- 
nesses ;  and  we  find  instructions  and  guidance  at 
each  crucial  point.  No  formal  rules  are  given. 
That  is  not  the  way  of  the  religion  of  Jesus  in  any- 
thing. His  is  distincdy  not  a  religion  of  rules. 
Against  the  bondage  of  the  letter  He  brings  the 
freedom  of  the  Spirit. 
I.     The  mission  fields. 

"The  field  is  the  world."  ^  "  Lift  up  your  eyes, 
and  look  on  the  fields."  ^  There  is  the  field  within 
which  are  the  fields.  "  The  whole  world  lieth  in 
the  wicked  one  "  ^  and  "  the  prince  of  this  world 
hath  been  judged,"  ^  for  "  To  this  end  was  the  Son 
of  God  manifested,  that  He  might  destroy  the 
works  of  the  devil."  ^  *'  This  Gospel  of  the  king- 
dom shall  be  preached  in  the  whole  inhabited 
earth  for  a  testimony  unto  all  the  nations  "  ®  and 
of  all  nations  the  commission  bids  us  make  dis- 


1  Matt.  13  :  38. 

'John  4 -.35. 

8  I  John  5  :  19. 

4  John  16:  II. 

B  I  John  3 :  8. 
170 

6  Matt.  24  :  14. 

The  Missionary  Plan  171 

ciples,^  and  we  are  to  pray  for  the  perfect  reign 
of  God  on  all  the  earth.^  "  They  that  come  up 
out  of  the  great  tribulation  and  washed  their  robes, 
and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  " 
are  "  a  great  multitude  which  no  man  can  num- 
ber, out  of  every  nation  and  of  all  tribes  and  peo- 
ples and  tongues."  ^ 

Such  is  *'  the  imperialism  of  Christ,"  the  world- 
spirit  of  Christianity  wherever  it  is  true  to  the 
leading  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  in  fellowship  with 
the  Lord.  In  accord  with  God's  claim  of  all  the 
earth  and  His  gift  of  it  to  His  Son,  missions  bring 
"  the  fullness  of  the  times  "  when  God  is  enter- 
ing into  His  own.  But  the  world  is  too  great  a 
concept  for  most  minds  and  presents  too  great  a 
task  for  individual  effort  or  for  the  instantaneous 
undertaking  of  any  organization.  For  thought 
and  for  effort  the  field  must  be  divided. 

(i)  On  what  principles  and  lines  shall  divi- 
sions be  made  ? 

(a)  The  primary  division  is  spiritual ;  between 
that  which  is  **of  the  world"  and  that  which  is 
"  not  of  the  world."  This  is  the  one  distinction 
drawn  by  our  Lord  in  His  prayer  for  His  work.* 
Of  His  missionaries  He  says,  "They  are  not  of 
the  world,  even  as  I  am  not  of  the  world,"  and  "  As 
Thou  didst  send  Me  into  the  world,  even  so  send  I 
them  into  the  world."     So  soon  as  Jesus  can  say 

1  Matt.  28  : 1 8  f.  »  Matt.  6  :  9-  lo. 

«  Rev.  7  :  14,  9.  *  John  17  ;  14-18. 


172       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

to  one  of  us  "I  chose  you  out  of  the  world/' ^  He 
has  established  for  that  one  the  deepest  of  all  dis- 
tinctions and  has  laid  him  under  obligation  to  be- 
gin **  reconciling  the  world  "  unto  God.  To  begin 
with,  no  other  distinction  was  possible.  All  fields 
were  '*  foreign  "  to  the  life  of  God.  No  distinction 
can  ever  supersede  this.  This  idea  needs  constant 
emphasis.  No  lands  are  yet  "  Christian  lands " 
according  to  Christ's  standards  and  every  servant 
of  Jesus  is  in  the  midst  of  the  first  mission  field, 
"  the  world." 

(p)  "  Beginning  from  Jerusalem,"  said  Jesus,^ 
and  Paul's  rule  was  "  to  the  Jew  first,  but  also  to 
the  Greek."  ^  Jesus  meant  that  the  Gospel  should 
be  offered  first  to  the  Jews,  not  alone  because  the 
first  missionaries  were  themselves  Jews  but  because 
"Salvation  is  from  the  Jews";^  because  theirs 
**  is  the  adoption,  and  the  glory,  and  the  covenants, 
and  the  giving  of  the  law,  and  the  service,  and  the 
promises ;  whose  are  the  fathers,  and  of  whom  is 
the  Messiah  according  to  the  flesh."  ^  It  is  not 
at  all  meant  that  all  missionaries  in  all  time  shall 
first  undertake  Jewish  evangelization  ;  nor  yet,  at 
the  other  extreme,  that  after  a  brief  period  of  Jew- 
ish opportunity  they  should  thereafter  be  despised 
and  neglected  by  the  heralds  of  the  Gospel.  If 
we  may  judge  from  the  Apostolic  order,  we  con- 
clude  that   in   every   place   the  Jews   are  to   be 

»  John  15  :  19.     2  Luke  24  :  47.     '  Rom.  1 :  16;  cf.  Acts  13  :  46. 
*  John  4:  22.  6Rom.  9:4f. 


The  Missionary  Plan  173 

offered  their  Messiah,  in  Jesus,  and  that  the 
work  is  quickly  to  proceed  to  offering  all  the 
Saviour ;  and  that,  once  He  is  accepted,  there  is 
to  be  no  distihction.  When  in  baptism  they  have 
"put  on  Christ"  *' there  can  be  neither  Jew  nor 
Greek,  ...  for  ye  are  all  one  in  Christ 
Jesus."  ^  The  distinction  is  racial  but  perhaps 
only  superficially  so  and  in  reality  resting  on  a 
deeper  principle.  The  history  of  the  Jew  gives 
God  a  special  claim  on  him  and  gives  him  what 
should  be  a  special  preparation  for  receiving  the 
Gospel  message.  These  circumstances,  however, 
render  him  either  a  quick  convert  or  an  obstinate 
unbeliever  and  opponent.  So  when  any  com- 
munity of  Jews  has  "  thrust  the  Word  of  God  from 
them  and  judged  themselves  unworthy  of  eternal 
life  "  the  missionaries  are  to  turn  chief  attention 
to  Gentiles.^  The  principle  will  apply  to  any  class 
on  whom  God  has  bestowed  blessings  specially 
preparing  them  for  Gospel  preaching. 

Peter  was  Apostle  to  the  Jews  but  was  the  first 
officially  to  tell  the  news  to  Gentiles  and  his  later 
ministry  made  no  distinction.  Paul  was  the  Apos- 
tle to  the  Gentiles  but  delivered  his  message  first 
of  all  in  the  synagogues  and  places  of  prayer  of 
the  Jews.  Both  were  led  to  understand  that  when 
men  become  Christ's,  whatever  they  were  before, 
they  are  now  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  according 
to  promise."  '    The  Jews  then  must  never  be  neg- 

»  GaL  3 :  27f.  » Cf.  Acts  13  ;  46.  ' Gal.  3  :  29. 


174       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

lected  nor  yet  must  undue  concern  for  them  stay- 
one  from  spreading  the  work  of  Christ  where  it 
can  win.^ 

{c)  A  third  distinction  which  is  really  at  the 
base  of  the  second,  and  an  extension  of  it,  is  that 
between  those  who  have  the  revelation  of  God 
and  those  who  are  without  it.  Who  is  the  Jew 
and  who  is  the  Gentile  ?  What  is  the  deepest  dif- 
ference between  them  ?  The  contrast  which  was 
at  first  expressed  by  these  terms  has  for  the  modern 
world  and  modern  Christianity  its  counterpart  in 
the  contrast  between  **  Christian  "  and  "  heathen  " 
where  "  Christian  "  has  the  most  general  sense  and 
connotes  all  who  have  knowledge  of  Christ  and 
live  in  lands  nominally  Christian.  We  even  carry 
the  term  into  pagan  lands  and  designate  as 
**  Christians  "  all  who  have  surrendered  the  pagan 
worship  and  who  ally  themselves  with  the  Chris- 
tian community  even  though  not  personally  own- 
ing Christ  as  Redeemer  and  Lord.  In  this  sense 
"  Christians  "  know  the  Christ  and  approve  His 
teachings,  in  a  general  way ;  '*  heathen "  are 
*'  without  a  Messiah  and  without  hope  and  without 
God."  If  the  term  "  Gentile "  be  rendered 
*'  heathen  "  it  will  in  almost  all  cases  in  the  New 
Testament  bring  to  the  modern  reader  far  more 
nearly  the  idea  intended  to  be  conveyed.^  We 
have  accordingly  so  rendered  it  in  our  paraphrases 

*  Cf.  Paul's  feeling,  Rom.  9  :  1-9,   10 :  i,  and  his  course  as  a  mis. 
sionary.  2  cf.  e.  g.,  Rom.  15  :  8  ff. 


The  Missionary  Plan  175 

wherever  it  seemed  advisable.  One  does  not  of 
course  forget  that  there  remains  yet  many  proph- 
ecies to  be  fulfilled  regarding  the  Jews.^  But  the 
task  of  our  age  gets  itself  better  understood  if 
"  Christian  and  heathen  "  stand  for  us  in  place  of 
**  Jew  and  Gentile." 

Now  there  are  very  many  **  Christians"  who  are 
not  yet  acquainted  with  the  Christ,  or  only  re- 
motely so  as  were  the  Jews  at  the  beginning.  To 
such  **  Christians "  in  all  communities  we  must 
bring  the  Christ.  In  Catholic  lands  and  all  places 
where  the  Christ  is  hidden  under  the  obscurities 
of  ecclesiasticism,  formalism,  tradition  and  priest- 
craft, there  is  a  people  on  whom  Christ  has  a  claim 
and  to  whom  He  has  given  a  preparation  that 
marks  them  as  the  "  first "  field  of  missions,  cor- 
responding to  the  Jews  at  the  beginning. 

{d)  Geographical  distinction  seems  to  lie  at  the 
base  of  the  division  in  Acts  1:8:  **  In  Jerusalem, 
and  in  all  Judaea  and  Samaria,  and  unto  the  ut- 
termost part  of  the  earth."  Here  is  not  quite  our 
distinction  between  **home"  and  "foreign"  mis- 
sions, nor  yet  that  of  '*  city,"  "  territorial "  and 
"  general."  Not  more  than  one  of  the  Eleven  was 
at  home  in  Jerusalem.  Rather  are  they  to  begin 
where  they  are  and  gradually  to  extend  their  scope 
until  they  come  to  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth. 
The  evangelized  territory  is  not  to  be  abandoned 
nor  left  wholly  to  itself.     That  is  clear  enough. 

»Cf.  Chap.  XI. 


176       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

But  when  the  cause  is  established  in  a  centre  some 
are  to  move  on  thence  to  new  territory.  Take  the 
case  of  Antioch,  for  example/  where  after  Barna- 
bas and  Saul  have  done  a  large  work  there  and 
other  "  prophets  and  teachers "  are  at  hand,  the 
Holy  Spirit  takes  two  of  the  five — and  the  great 
two — for  new  work  while  three  apparently  remain 
to  carry  on  the  work  at  Antioch. 

(2)  On  what  principles  shall  the  missionary  se- 
lect his  field,  or  the  mission  board  ?  Remember- 
ing always  that  the  whole  world  is  to  be  reached, 
that  permanent  churches  must  be  planted,  that  the 
Holy  Spirit's  guidance  is  to  be  had  and  followed 
we  may  learn  from  Paul  three  guiding  principles, 
two  of  which  are  announced  and  the  third  clearly 
evident : 

(a)  He  will  go  to  people  who  have  not  yet 
heard.  He  makes  it  his  ambition  to  preach 
Christ  so  as  not  to  go  where  He  is  known  already 
but  to  fulfill  the  prophecy  that 

"  They  shall  see  to  whom  no  tidings  of  Him  came, 
And  they  who  have  not  heard  shall  understand." 
This  principle  hinders  the  missionary  for  a  long 
while  from  going  to  Rome  which  he  has  a  great 
desire  to  visit  but  cannot  so  long  as  unevangelized 
territory  lies  between   him  and  that  great  city  al- 
ready occupied  for  Christ.     Even  now  he  can  only 
stop  at  Rome  en  route  to  Spain  where  he  can  find 
virgin  soil  for  the  Gospel  seed.^ 
»  Acts  13:  Iff.  sRoro.  15:20-24. 


The  Missionary  Plan  177 

It  would  be  a  mistake  to  make  this  the  sole  prin- 
ciple in  selecting  a  field.  The  Moravians  may- 
have  erred  at  this  point,  seeking  not  only  fields 
not  occupied  but  not  likely  to  be  occupied.  But 
one  must  push  on  ever  towards  new  territory.  The 
business  of  missions  is  to  extend  the  kingdom. 

(b)  Paul  made  it  a  point  also  to  labor  where 
results  could  be  gained.  All  the  early  mission- 
aries understood  that  they  were  sent  to  **  make 
disciples,"  to  get  results.  They  would  neither  go 
nor  remain  where  they  found  no  converts  could  be 
gained.  They  were  to  give  their  witness  to  Christ 
not  for  the  purpose  of  giving  Him  a  ground  to 
judge  the  world  for  rejecting  Him,  for  He  had 
said  plainly  that  He  came  not  to  judge  but  to  save 
the  world,  nor  yet  merely  to  fill  up  an  age  of  out- 
gathering  so  that  their  Lord  might  return,  for  they 
were  sent  on  a  mission  of  salvation,  to  turn  men 
from  darkness  to  light  and  from  the  power  of  Satan 
unto  God.^  Luke,  as  the  historian  of  the  first 
period  of  missions,  is  careful  to  tell  about  the  re- 
sults everywhere,  a  fact  that  has  been  extensively 
overlooked.  No  superficial  **  evangelizing " 
could  satisfy  these  missionaries.  They  must  have 
power  in  their  witnessing,  hence  the  abiding  at 
Jerusalem  for  the  promise  of  the  Father.  Paul 
did  not  pass  on  from  the  Macedonian  country  until 
**  from  Jerusalem,  and  round  about  even  unto  Illyri- 
cum  he  had  fully  preached  the  Gospel."  ^ 

1  Acts  26.  '  Rom.  15  :  19. 


lyS       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

(c)  A  third  principle  was  extensively  to  de- 
velop strategic  points  from  which  as  centres  the 
news  might  sound  forth  into  all  the  world.  Jeru- 
salem retains  the  Apostles  even  when  persecu- 
tion has  driven  out  all  others.  Antioch  holds 
Barnabas  and  Saul  and  engages  Silas  and  others 
until  it  becomes  a  capital  city  in  the  kingdom 
work.  Ephesus  engages  Paul  for  three  years 
during  which  "  all  they  that  dwelt  in  Asia  heard 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  both  Jews  and  Greeks  **  ^ 
and  the  missionary  did  not  stop  short  of  declar- 
ing unto  them  **  the  whole  counsel  of  God."  ^  So 
of  Paul's  labors  generally,  they  were  in  places 
from  which  the  Gospel  would  spread.  He  could 
thus  write  a  letter  to  Colossian  saints  whom  he 
had  not  seen  face  to  face  without  violating  his 
principle  of  intermeddling  with  no  other  man's 
labors.  It  is  easy  to  find  the  great  centres  of 
influence  chosen  to  erect  the  lampstands  of  the 
world's  Light. 

2.     T/ie  misswnary  agents. 

We  assumed  in  Chapter  IV  that  the  individual 
Christian  believer  is  the  responsible  agent  in  the 
missionary  enterprise  and  we  cited  many  Scriptures 
showing  how  missions  appeal  to  every  believer 
in  Jesus.  God  had  one  Son.  He  gave  Him  as 
the  price  of  many  sons,  and  each  one  in  his  turn 
the  Father  dedicates  to  service  in  His  redemptive 
work.     That  this  obligatory  opportunity  lies  be- 

»Acts  19:  10.  9  Acts  20:  27. 


The  Missionary  Plan  179 

fore  the  "  after-born  "  as  well  as  the  "  First-bom  '' 
son  of  God  will  need  no  further  emphasis. 

(i)  But  in  what  capacity  are  believers  respon- 
sible for  the  discharge  of  this  mission?  That 
some  are  to  be  separated  from  the  rest  for 
special  work  to  which  the  Holy  Spirit  has 
called  them  ^  needs  no  emphasis.  But  on  all 
believers  rests  responsibility  directly  or  in- 
directly. How  does  this  responsibility  come 
to  the  individual  ?  Four  answers  are  possible, 
and  each  is  sometimes  assumed. 

(a)  The  General  Church — the  Spiritual  Body 
of  Christ — may  be  thought  of  as  conveying  the 
responsibility  to  the  single  believer.  There  is  a 
certain  mystical  truth  here  but  no  word  of  God 
locates  the  responsibility  in  this  Church  and  for 
the  reason  that  in  its  very  nature  it  cannot  be 
a  source  of  authority  and  a  centre  of  respon- 
sibility. It  has  no  tangible  entity  and  no  organic 
life,  no  material  form  ;  and  the  mission  work 
requires  definite  local  habitation  and  name. 
The  Church  receives  and  contains  all  the  results 
of  missions  and  its  glory  forms  for  the  believer 
a  mighty  impulse  in  the  work  but  on  him  it  en- 
forces no  authority  directly. 

(d)     Shall   we   find   it   in    the   general   visible 

Church,  in  a  general  ecclesiastical  organization  ? 

Where    shall    we    find     such    an    organization, 

with  central  authority  ?    Theoretically  the  Roman 

lActs  13:  2, 


i8o       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Church  claims  this  but  singularly  enough  has 
not  applied  the  principle  consistently  to  its 
mission  work.  The  relation  of  missions  to  the 
Roman  Church  would  prove  an  engaging  topic, 
but  since  the  New  Testament  knows  no  central 
authority  for  the  churches  and  the  believers  we 
must  turn  from  this. 

{c)  There  are  ecclesiastical  organizations — 
churches  with  administrative  functions  and  some 
of  them  exercising  legislative  functions.  In  the 
New  Testament  these  are  limited  to  small  areas, 
usually  one  city,  with  autonomous  life  and  inde- 
pendence of  action,  but  without  legislative 
authority.  These  were  extended  later  to  larger 
territory,  then  to  correspond  to  the  political  states 
with  which  they  were  allied.  Then  came  various 
degrees  of  separation  of  Church  and  State  with 
churches  organized  with  more  or  less  correspond- 
ence, geographically,  to  the  political  territorial 
divisions.  We  may  include  all  these  under 
a  single  idea — ^the  organized  church — whether 
a  local  autonomous  band  or  an  integrated 
ecclesiasticism.  Is  the  authority  and  the  re- 
sponsibility for  missions  in  this  body  ? 

One  finds  no  evidence  in  Scripture  of  a  mission- 
ary commission  or  charge  to  any  church  or 
other  organization.  The  missionary  command 
is  found  in  no  epistle  to  a  church.^     While  many 

^  Cf.  a   full  discussion  of  this  in  **  Three  Lectures  on  Missions  "  by 
H.  H.  Harris,  L.  L.  D. ;  also,  "  The  Resurrection  Gospel,"  by  Robson. 


The  Missionary  Plan  l8i 

may  be  ready  to  question  this  position  on  theo- 
retical grounds,  no  church  so  applies  the  prin- 
ciple of  authority,  if  we  except  a  few  minor 
sects.  No  church  can  impose  upon  a  member 
a  specific  mission  to  which  he  has  no  conscious 
call  from  God ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  no 
church  can  relieve  an  individual  from  either  the 
general  duty  of  missionary  service  or  a  special 
call  to  specific  work.  No  church  would  perhaps 
now  undertake  to  do  either  of  these  things.  If 
every  other  member  of  the  church  is  negligent  of 
this  duty,  or  opposed  to  its  acceptance,  I  am  still 
bound  to  accept  and  discharge  this  duty  even 
should  it  result  in  my  excommunication.  To  this 
all  will  agree. 

{d)  And  to  agree  to  this  is  to  say  that  ulti- 
mately the  obligation,  the  responsibility,  for  mis- 
sions rests  on  the  individual  soul,  elect  for  service 
and  led  to  it  in  regeneration.  A  redeemed  man 
is  Christ's  agent  in  redemption.  So  far  as  the 
records  teach  Philip  was  the  first  man  to  go  be- 
yond Judaea  carrying  the  good  news  of  the 
Christ.  He  was  in  Samaria  of  his  own  accord, 
under  God's  leading.  At  the  word  of  "  an  angel 
of  the  Lord "  he  met  the  eunuch  on  Gaza  road 
and  "  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  caught  away  Philip  " 
thence  and  he  "  was  found  at  Azotus  ;  and  passing 
through  he  brought  good  tidings  to  all  the  cities 
till  he  came  to  Caesarea."  He  was  not  even 
oflficially  a  minister  and  yet  was  master  of  his  own 


i82       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

missionary  movements.^  True  the  Apostles  at 
Jerusalem  sent  Peter  and  John  to  Samaria  to  see 
Philip's  converts — the  Apostles,  mind,  and  not 
the  church.  Apostles  have  no  successors  in  au- 
thority or  function.  Peter  and  John  felt  entirely 
free,  too,  without  further  commission  from  fellow 
Apostles  to  '*  bring  good  tidings  to  many  villages 
of  the  Samaritans."^ 

When  certain  men  of  Cyprus  and  Cyrene  at 
Antioch  brought  good  tidings  to  Greeks  the 
Jerusalem  Church  **  did  send  Barnabas  as  far  as 
Antioch."  ^  What  he  was  to  do  we  are  not  told. 
He  had  no  power  or  authority  to  silence  these 
free  preachers  and  for  more  than  a  year  he  did 
not  return  to  Jerusalem,  and  even  then  not  to 
make  any  official  report.  When  he  wanted  a 
helper  in  the  great  meetings  at  Antioch  he  went 
oflF,  apparently  wholly  of  his  own  authority,  to 
seek  Saul  at  Tarsus.* 

It  is  commonly  supposed  that  it  was  the  church 
at  Antioch  that  sent  out  Barnabas  and  Saul,^  and 
yet  the  church  is  mentioned  only  as  the  location 
of  certain  prophets  and  teachers  who  had  a  mes- 
sage from  the  Holy  Spirit  as  they  fasted  and 
prayed,  and  it  was  only  the  Holy  Spirit  that  we 
can  be  sure  "sent  them  forth."  Nor  is  there  any 
more  evidence  of  church  authority  in  the  report 
of  the  missionaries  to  the  church  on  their  return 

»  Acts  8.  «  Acts  8 :  25.  »  See  Acts  1 1 :  20  flf. 

4  See  Acts  11  :  23-29.  e  Acts  13  :  1-4. 


The  Missionary  Plan  183 

to  Antioch,^  for  the  missionaries  themselves  sum- 
moned the  assembly  and  "rehearsed  all  things 
that  God  had  done  with  them"  as  missionaries  do 
to  this  day  when  at  home  again.  They  "re- 
hearsed" the  same  things  at  a  gathering  of  the 
church  at  Jerusalem  a  little  later,^  and  on  the  way 
they  recounted  in  *•  Phoenicia  and  Samaria  the 
conversion  of  the  Gentiles ;  and  they  caused 
great  joy  to  all  the  brethren  "  as  always  with  the 
story  of  missionary  successes.  After  a  time  Paul 
proposes  to  Barnabas  a  visit  to  "  the  brethren  in 
every  city  wherein  we  proclaimed  the  word  of  the 
Lord."  The  church  was  not  sending  them  or 
asked  about  it ;  and  when  they  quarrelled  over 
taking  John  Mark  the  question  was  not  referred 
to  the  church  and  each  "chose"  his  own  fellow 
missionary  and  itinerary.^  Paul  chose  his  own 
workers  and  determined  his  own  movements 
under  the  Holy  Spirit  in  all  work. 

The  individual  agent  directly  responsible  to  his 
Lord  is  exactly  in  accord  with  the  nature  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  and  our  relation  to  it.  This 
accords  with  the  intensely  personal  and  vital 
method  of  Jesus  in  whose  religion  "  each  one  of 
us  shall  give  account  of  himself  to  God  "  ;  *  and 
with  the  Lord's  teaching  that  "the  good  seed" 
which  He  sows  in  the  world  "  are  the  sons  of  the 
kingdom."  ^ 

» Acts  14  :  27.  «  Acts  15  :  4.  '  Acts  15  :  36-41. 

4  Rom.  14:  12.  *  Matt.  13 ;  38. 


184       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

That  "  the  commission "  is  to  individuals  may 
well  be  doubted  if  we  know  but  one  ''commis- 
sion." Paul's  commission  was  clearly  personal^ 
and  he  is  careful  to  maintain  this.^  Peter  has 
an  undeniably  personal  commission  in  John 
21:  15-21,  where  Jesus  lays  emphasis  on  in- 
dividual duty:  ''Follow  thou  Me."  If  a  corporate 
or  collective  body  be  supposed  at  Matthew 
16  :  19  ;  28  :  18-20 ;  John  20:  21-23,  ^"^^  Acts  i :  8, 
these  will  need  to  be  understood  in  harmony  with 
the  other  examples.  To  conclude  the  matter 
Peter  explains  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  on  Pentecost 
as  God  fulfilling  His  promise  to  give  His  Spirit 
for  prophecy  to  all  classes,  old  and  young,  sons 
and  daughters,  slaves  and  maid  servants.  It  is  a 
common  function  to  prophesy  of  Jesus. 

All  Christian  duties  grow  out  of  the  personal 
relation  to  God  in  Christ ;  the  duty  to  be  a 
witness  of  the  Christ  and  the  duty  of  membership 
in  a  church  which  is  the  working  organization  of 
the  kingdom.  The  individual  must  not  exalt 
himself  above  the  church  nor  segregate  himself 
from  it.  All  his  work  should  be  done  as  a  mem- 
ber of  it  and  with  due  credit  to  it.  It  is  the 
individual  agent  who  must  "  hear  what  the  Spirit 
says " — but  "  says  to  the  churches  "  and  even 
where  a  church  is  wholly  lukewarm,  and  the 
Master  on  the  outside,  the  one  member  who 
hears  must  open  the  door  and  admit  the  Master 

*See  Acts  22:  14-21 ;  26:  15-18.  «Gal.  1 :  II-17. 


The  Missionary  Plan  185 

to  himself  as  to  one  within  the  church.^  All 
honor  to  the  church  as  the  organic  working  body 
of  servants  of  Jesus,  the  Lord. 

(2)  Let  us  inquire  now  what  motives  impel  the 
missionary  agent  in  his  world  task.  This  is  an- 
swered in  Chapters  II-VL  All  that  missions 
mean  in  all  the  relations  there  discussed  becomes 
the  Christian's  motives  to  missionary  service. 
We  need  not  repeat  what  we  studied  in  those 
chapters.  Christ's  motives  are  the  Christian's 
motives.  "  The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us."  ^ 
Not  Christ's  love  for  us,  nor  our  love  for  Him, 
primarily,  but  Christ's  love  for  the  world  finding 
its  expression  in  us,  is  the  Apostle's  meaning. 
As  Christ  was  ever  drawn  forward  by  a  sense  of 
the  Father's  having  sent  Him  to  do  this  work 
and  by  a  great  yearning  for  the  lost  in  the  world, 
by  zeal  for  the  Father  who  was  dishonored  in  the 
world  and  by  compassion  for  men  who  knew  not 
God ;  so  we  in  Christ's  place  *'  knowing  the  fear 
of  the  Lord  (our  fear  under  Him)  persuade  men  "  ^ 
and  "  we  cannot  but  speak  the  things  which  we 
saw  and  heard  "  *  whatever  may  be  the  "  reasons  " 
for  or  against  it. 

The  command  of  Christ  should  be  enough,  but 
the  impulse  of  divine  life  in  us  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  the  impelling  force.     The  sense  of  obligation 

>  Rev.  3 :  14-22. 

2  2  Cor.  5  :  14,     Cf.  the  entire  passage  here  5 :  9-6  :  3. 

»  2  Cor.  5:11.  «  Acts  4:  20. 


i86       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

lies  not  so  much  in  objective  command  as  in  the 
spiritual  impulse.  We  go  not  in  formal  obedience 
to  Jesus  Christ  nor  in  imitation  of  Him  but  in 
unity  of  spirit  and  purpose  with  Him. 

3.     The  missionary  methods. 

(i)  "  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  will  draw  all  men 
unto  Myself."  ^  "  This  is  life  eternal,  that  they 
should  know  Thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Him 
whom  Thou  didst  send,  Jesus  Christ."  ^  **  Ye  shall 
know  the  truth  and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free."  ^ 
By  what  means  shall  the  Son  of  Man,  once  for  all 
lifted  up  upon  the  cross,  now  be  lifted  up  before 
all  men  that  they  may  see  and  "  believe  that  Jesus 
is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God ;  and  that  believing 
they  may  have  life  in  His  name"?^  Jesus  Him- 
self indicated  three  means  by  which  this  result  will 
be  accomplished. 

(a)  Attraction.  He  said  to  the  first  body  of 
disciples  who  came  into  His  kingdom  :  **  Ye  are 
the  light  of  the  world.  A  city  set  on  a  hill  cannot 
be  hid.  Neither  do  men  light  a  lamp  and  put  it 
under  the  bushel,  but  on  the  stand  ;  and  it  shineth 
unto  all  that  are  in  the  house.  Even  so  let  your 
light  shine  before  men  that  they  may  see  your 
good  works  and  glorify  your  Father  who  is  in 
heaven."  ^  Christians  "  are  seen  as  lights  in  the 
world,  holding  forth  the  word  of  life."  ® 

This  means  of  influence  was  naturally  of  primary 

»  John  12 :  32.  2  John  17:3.  3  John  8  :  32. 

4  John  20  :  31.  6  Matt.  5  :  14-16.  »  Phil.  2  :  I5f. 


The  Missionary  Plan  187 

importance  before  the  coming  of  Christ.  It  is 
recognized  in  many  Old  Testament  passages, 
and  is  urged  upon  God's  people  as  a  reason  for 
faithfulness.     The  Psalmist  sings :  ^ 

"  Jehovah  hath  made  known  His  salvation  : 
His  righteousness  hath  He  openly  showed  in 
the  sight  of  the  nations. 

All  the  ends  of  the  earth  have  seen  the  salva- 
tion of  our  God. 

Make  a  joyful  noise  unto  Jehovah,  all  the 
earth." 

And  the  Evangelical  Prophet  declares :  **  For 
Zion's  sake  will  I  not  hold  my  peace,  and  for 
Jerusalem's  sake  will  I  not  rest,  until  her  righteous- 
ness go  forth  as  brightness,  and  her  salvation  as  a 
lamp  that  burneth.  And  the  nations  shall  see  thy 
righteousness,  and  all  kings  thy  glory."  ^  And 
again,  **  Jehovah  will  arise  upon  thee,  and  His 
glory  shall  be  seen  upon  thee.  And  nations  shall 
come  to  thy  light,  and  kings  to  the  brightness  of 
thy  rising."  ^ 

The  same  influence  is  potent  for  Christianity. 
Missions  are  erecting  lighthouses  in  the  world's 
darkness.  Jesus,  His  Apostles  and  the  heathen 
appear  as  recognizing  this  means  of  extending  the 
work  in  the  Apostolic  period.  In  modern  mis- 
sions this  is  becoming  a  great  force,  for  the  lights 

*  Ps.  98 :  2-4.  «  Isa.  62  :  if.;  cf.  I  Kings  lO  ;  l-io. 

>Isa.  60:  2f. 


i88       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

are  growing  large  enough  to  shine  upon  "  all  that 
are  in  the  house."  We  have  seen  how  Jesus  relies 
on  the  union  of  His  disciples  in  love  to  make  the 
world  know  Him/  Peter  sees  that  God's  "  elect 
race  "  are  designed  to  **  show  forth  the  excellencies 
of  Him  that  called  you  out  of  darkness  into  His 
marvellous  light/'  among  the  heathen,  "  that, 
wherein  they  speak  against  you  as  evil  doers,  they 
may  by  your  good  works,  which  they  behold, 
glorify  God  in  the  day  of  visitation."  ^ 

{b)  Permeation  is  a  second  means  on  which 
Jesus  relies  for  the  perpetuity  of  His  work.  He 
taught  it  by  the  parables  of  the  leaven,^  of  the 
seed  growing  by  itself,^  of  the  mustard  seed,*^  etc. 
This  is  the  method  of  life  and  Christianity  is  pe- 
culiarly the  religion  of  life.  It  is  reproductive, 
communicative,  permeating,  vitalizing.  Christian 
history  abundantly  illustrates  this. 

(c)  The  chief  means  of  the  kingdom  is  con- 
quest Attraction  and  permeation  are  inherent  in 
the  very  nature  of  Christianity,  and  not  wholly 
dependent  upon  voluntary  efTort,  though  made 
more  effective  by  conscious  application.  But  the 
followers  of  Jesus  are  not  to  sit  still  and  shine,  nor 
to  abide  in  Him  and  grow ;  they  are  missionaries 
— sent  ones — aizdaxoXoi. 

The  Church  must  not  only  shine,  but  "Arise  and 

*  John  17  :  20,  23. 

2  I  Peter  2:9,  12;  cf.  I  Peter  3 :  I;  Phil.  4:5;  Eph.  5:8-11,  etc. 

3  Matt.  13  :  33.  4  Mark  4  :  26-29.  »  Mark  4  :  30-32. 


The  Missionary  Plan  189 

shine,"  not  only  grow  but  sow  as  well.  Not  alone 
those  who  see  the  light  and  come,  or  who  touch 
the  life  and  live,  but  those  beyond  the  radius  of 
the  light  and  beyond  the  reach  of  the  life  power  in 
the  saints  are  to  be  gained.  We  must  make  con- 
quest in  the  name  of  our  Christ.  This  is  the 
method  of  all  the  statements  of  the  commission 
and  of  the  aggressive  spirit  of  our  Faith.  Jesus 
and  His  Church  are  imperialistic.  This  is  the 
method  demanded  by  the  condition  of  the  world. 
**  The  righteousness  which  is  of  faith  "  indeed  de- 
clares that  no  man  need  be  waiting  for  some  one 
to  go  up  into  heaven  or  down  into  the  abyss  to 
bring  him  the  Christ ;  but  to  every  one  declares 
"  the  word  is  nigh  thee,  in  thy  mouth  and  in  thy 
heart,  that  is,  the  word  of  faith,  which  we  preach." 
"  For  the  same  Lord  is  Lord  of  all,  and  is  rich 
unto  all  that  call  upon  Him."  But  men  will  not 
call  upon  Him  till  He  is  preached  to  them  by  one 
sent  with  the  Gospel  and  proclaiming  it  with  the 
demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  with  power.  In 
actual  practice  "belief  cometh  by  hearing  and 
hearing  by  the  word  of  Christ,"  ^  who  has  com- 
manded that  all  shall  hear. 

Such  was  the  method  of  the  early  disciples 
under  the  lead  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  They  moved 
to  the  task  without  any  plan,  on  their  part,  up  to 
the  end  of  Acts  12,  though  a  plan  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  is   clear  enough.     At  Acts    13   the  Holy 

iCf.  Rom.  10:  6-17. 


igo       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Spirit  begins  to  show  His  plan  to  the  workers  and 
they  follow  a  more  definite  order  from  that  time. 
But  with  or  without  a  comprehensive  plan,  wher- 
ever they  went,  or  for  whatever  cause,  they  went 
about  bringing  the  good  tidings/ 

And  the  form  of  the  commission  in  Matthew  is 
made  applicable  to  all  the  followers  of  the  Lord, 
whether  technically  missionaries  or  not.  There  is 
no  formal  command  to  "  go."  The  command  is 
to  "  make  disciples."  The  "  go  "  appears  as  a 
participle.  Literally  we  shall  read  "  Going  (as  ye 
go)  therefore  disciple  all  the  nations  (heathen)." 

The  gifts  of  the  ascended  Lord  to  men  through 
His  Church  contemplate  conquest.^  Having  "  led 
captive  a  band  of  captives,"  whom  He  had  gotten 
in  His  ministry,  He  distributed  them  as  gifts  to 
men.  He  sends  them  in  four  classes  (verse  ii)  all 
designed  to  perfect  the  saints  (the  whole  body  of 
believers)  for  the  work  of  ministering.  These 
classes  of  ministers  are  adapted  to  the  divisions  of 
the  world  field  contemplated  for  the  work : 

First  we  find  Apostles.  The  primary  mean- 
ing of  this  (Greek)  word  is  the  same  as  (the  Latin) 
missionaries,  and  the  Roman  Catholics  have  done 
well  in  retaining  this  term  for  designating  their 
foreign  missionaries.  We  may  distinguish  in  the 
New  Testament  two  uses  of  the  term  if  we  use 
•*  Apostles "  to  render  the  word  wherever  the 
Twelve  and  Paul  are  designated  in  their  function 

1  Acts  8 :  4;  II :  19.  «  Eph.  4  :  8-12, 


The  Missionary  Plan  191 

of  authoritative  founders  of  the  Faith,  e.  g.y  Acts 
15 :  2,  4,  7 ;  and  elsewhere,  whether  applied  to 
the  Twelve  and  Paul  or  to  others,  use  the  word 
^*  missionaries  J  ^  In  this  latter  sense  we  find  it 
in  Acts  15  :  8-14,  for  Barnabas  is  not  an  Apostle 
and  Saul  is  here  submitting  his  work,  not  as  an 
Apostle,  but  as  a  missionary,  to  the  judgment 
of  the  Apostles  and  elders  at  Jerusalem.  So 
in  I  Corinthians  4  :  9  Paul  thinks  that  "  God  hath 
set  forth  us  (Himself,  ApoUos  and  others,  some 
of  whom  are  not  Apostles  ^ )  the  missionaries  last 
(lowest)  of  all,  as  men  doomed  to  death  :  for  we 
are  made  a  spectacle  unto  the  world  :  both  to 
angels  and  men."  Whether  technically  Apostles 
or  missionaries  the  word  designates  founders  of 
the  Faith  in  new  territory — in  modern  phrase 
*'  foreign  missionaries."  The  foreign  missionaries 
were  usually,  if  not  always,  chosen  after  experience 
in  home  work — established  churches,  as  we  see 
in  the  cases  of  Paul,  Barnabas,  Silas,  Timothy, 
Titus  ;  and  in  one  case,  at  least,  the  very  ablest, 
Barnabas  and  Saul,  were  chosen  for  the  new  work.^ 
Next  come  *^ prophets  ^^  who  speak  for  God  by 
special  inspiration.  They  are  usually  ministers 
in  the  native  church,  specially  endowed  for  build- 
ing up  the  new  churches,  founded  by  the  mission- 
aries. They  held  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  most  im- 
portant for  the  Lord's  work  in  the  new  church.^ 

*  Cf.  verse  6.  '  Acts  13  :  1-3. 

^Cf.  I  Cor.  14:  I ;  Eph.  2 :  20,  etc. 


192       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Evangelists  were  men  who  from  the  strategic 
centre,  where  the  missionaries  have  founded  a 
church,  evangelize  the  neighboring  districts  and 
extend  the  work  in  the  province  or  country  where 
it  is  already  planted.  We  call  them  to-day 
**home  missionaries."  So  Philip  in  Palestine.^ 
Such  was  the  work  of  Barnabas  and  Saul  in 
Antioch.^  Timothy  in  territory  where  Paul  had 
already  fully  preached  the  Gospel  was  to  **  do  the 
work  of  an  evangelist."  ^ 

Last  of  all  are  ministers  with  the  twofold 
function  of  pastors  aitd  teachers^  permanent 
officers  for  the  development  and  direction  of 
the  church  in  life  and  service,  now  that  it  has 
become  an  organ  for  conserving  and  developing 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  In  it  all  we  are  to  bear 
in  mind  that  all  the  saints  are  to  be  perfected  for 
ministry  and  that  main  reliance  must  be  on  per- 
sonal proclamation  of  the  Gospel  by  the  saved 
upon  all  opportunities.'* 

(2)  We  inquire  next  of  the  instrumental  agen- 
cies employed  in  the  prosecution  of  the  work. 

(a)  First  reliance  was  ever  placed  on  the 
spoken  word,  the  living  voice  witnessing  to  the 
living  Christ  out  of  a  glowing  experiefice  that 
could  not  be  still,  and  with  a  yearning  love 
that  could  not  leave  a  fellow  man  alone  in  sin. 
So  John  the  Baptist  had  been  a  voice  crying  in 

1  Acts  8,  21:8.  2  Acts  1 1  :  22-26.  »  2  Tim.  4 :  5. 

*  Cf.  Acts  2  :  46  f.;  Mark  5  :  19  f.;  Acts  i8  :  26,  etc. 


The  Missionary  Plan  193 

the  wilderness,  and  Jesus  talked,  and  spoke,  and 
wept  with  men,  writing  no  word,  but  speaking 
and  living  the  word  that  shall  be  written  in  all 
tongues  and  times. 

This  is  the  means  which  Jesus  enjoined  on  His 
followers  and  on  which  He  mostly  relies  ;  ^  the 
method  which  His  followers  constantly  betray 
the  consciousness  of  having  received  from  their 
Master.^  This  is  the  means  that  lies  within  the 
power  of  every  believer  and  makes  it  possible 
to  employ  in  the  service  of  the  kingdom  the 
whole  body  of  the  redeemed.  There  is  no  re- 
quirement for  formal  sermons,  nor  skilled  dis- 
course ;  no  requirement  for  literary  training 
nor  the-  culture  of  the  schools,  nor  any  lack  of 
fullest  scope  for  the  use  of  these ;  no  need  for 
episcopal  ordination  or  ecclesiastical  warrant. 
This  is  business  for  the  "  unschooled  and  lay  "  * 
men  as  well  as  for  the  learned  and  official.  The 
essential  qualification  is  to  have  seen  and  heard 
and  experienced.  **  I  believed,  therefore  have  I 
spoken"  is  the  Christian's  impulse  and  warrant 
for  his  witness  to  his  Redeemer.'^  Such  witnesses 
are  vocal  and  also  **  living  epistles,  known  and 
read  of  all  men."  ^ 

»Cf.  John  15  :  27 ;  Luke  24:  48;  Acts  i  :  8;  Matt.  24:  14;  28:  19. 
Acts  26 :  16. 

2  Cf.   Acts  1 :  21-26 ;  2  :   32 ;  3  :  15 ;  4 :  18-20.  23  ff.,  33  ;  and  see 
"  Apostolic  and  Modern  Missions,"  Martin. 

3  The  real  meaning  of  the  words  in  Acts  4:  13. 

*  2  Cor.  4:13.  5  Cf.  2  Cor.  3 :  2  f. 


194       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

(d)  Miracles  were  also  an  agency  employed 
from  the  beginning  to  give  proof  of  the  nature 
and  character  of  Jesus  and  of  the  relation  of  His 
missionaries  to  Himself.  They  constitute  one  ele- 
ment in  the  credentials  of  an  Apostle  and  a  mark 
of  divine  sanction  upon  the  missionary.  We  must 
not  fail  to  grasp  the  relation  of  the  miracle  to  the 
end  of  the  witnessing — to  gain  converts  to  the 
Christ.  This  relation  is  sometimes  overlooked 
and  so  needs  emphasis.  Miracles  were  to  win 
converts  and  Luke  is  careful  to  record  their  suc- 
cess. The  story  of  the  healing  of  the  lame  man 
at  the  Beautiful  Gate  of  the  Temple  has  its  ex- 
planation in  Acts  4  :  4,  where  we  learn  that  many 
that  heard  the  explanation  believed  and  the  male 
believers  came  now  to  be  about  five  thousand. 
The  miraculous  retribution  upon  Ananias  and 
Sapphira  caused  great  fear  upon  all  who  knew  of 
it ;  this  was  followed  by  "  many  signs  and  wonders 
wrought  among  the  people "  and  "  multitudes 
both  of  men  and  women,"  **  beUeving  on  the  Lord, 
were  the  more  added  to  them."  ^  The  outcome 
of  the  healing  of  ^neas  at  Lydda  was  that  "  all 
that  dwelt  in  Lydda  and  Sharon  saw  him,  and 
they  turned  to  the  Lord."  ^  The  raising  of  Dorcas 
**  became  known  throughout  all  Joppa  ;  and  many 
believed  on  the  Lord."^  How  miracles  led  to  the 
preaching  to  Cornelius  and  his  friends  and  by  prov- 
ing the   presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  gained  their 

I  Acts  5  :  12-14.  2  Acts  9 :  35.  s  Acts  9  :  42. 


The  Missionary  Plan  195 

admission  to  baptism  is  well  known.^  Similarly 
when  some  were  bold  enough  to  preach  to  Greeks 
at  Antioch  "  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  with  them ; 
and  a  great  number  that  believed  turned  unto  the 
Lord."  ^  It  was  the  miracle  that  forced  the  con- 
viction on  Sergius  Paulus^  and  on  the  jailor  of 
Philippi/  and  that  aided  to  '*  make  many  disciples  " 
in  all  the  work.  ''  The  signs  and  wonders,"  too, 
served  to  guarantee  to  the  Jerusalem  council  that 
God  approved  the  reception  of  heathen  converts 
on  the  missionaries'  terms.^ 

The  story  of  the  winning  of  converts  in  the 
Apostles'  day  is  that  of  **  speaking  boldly  in  the 
Lord,  who  bare  witness  unto  the  word  of  His 
grace,  granting  signs  and  wonders  to  be  done  by 
their  hands."  ® 

{c)  Apostles  and  other  missionaries  made  use 
of  visitation  for  confirming  and  extending  work 
already  begun  in  various  places.  Examples  of 
this  appear  first  in  the  commission  of  Peter  and 
John  by  the  Apostles  to  visit  Samaria  where  a  re- 
markable work  had  been  wrought  through  Philip,^ 
and  of  Barnabas  to  go  to  Antioch  and  see  the 
work  of  certain  men  of  Cyprus  and  Cyrene  by 
whose  word  heathen  converts  had  been  won.^ 
Again  we  find  Paul  proposing  to  Barnabas  :  **  Let 
us  return  now  and  visit  the  brethren  in  every  city 

*  Cf.  Acts  lo-ii  :  18.  2  Acts  ii  :  21.  »  Acts  13  :  14. 

4  Acts  16  :  34.  5  Acts  15  :  12.  «  Acts  14 :  3. 

'  Acts  8  :  14  ff.  8  Acts  1 1 :  22-26. 


196       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

wherein  we  proclaimed  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and 
see  how  they  fare."  ^  "So  the  churches  were 
strengthened  in  faith  and  increased  in  number 
daily."  ^  In  such  work  when  he  could  not  go 
himself  Paul  made  extensive  use  of  helpers  on  va- 
rious errands  as  the  need  might  be.^ 

(d)  The  pen  was  early  and  extensively  em- 
ployed in  most  blessed  ways  for  extending  the 
work.  Some  ends  could  better  be  served  by  let- 
ters than  by  personal  visits  *  and  letters  could  often 
go  when  the  missionary  was  restrained  from  go- 
ing.' 

So  we  find  letters  to  all  the  saints  in  general,  to 
groups  of  churches,  to  single  churches  and  to  in- 
dividuals, every  one  called  forth  by  the  opportu- 
nities or  the  exegencies  of  the  missionary  work. 

In  meeting  enemies  and  hinderers,  in  encourag- 
ing and  rebuking  halting  and  hesitant  believers, 
in  commending  the  faith  to  many  who  would  read 
and  ponder,  apologetic  writings  were  found  useful 
by  the  Apostolic  missionaries,^  as  in  all  ages  since. 

The  Synoptic  Gospels  set  down  for  permanent 
possession  *'  the  matters  which  had  been  fully  es- 
tablished among  the  followers  of  Jesus,  even  as 
they  were  reported  by  those  who  from  the  begin- 
ning were   eye-witnesses   and    ministers   of    the 

1  Acts  15  :  36.  «  Acts  16  :  5.  3  cf.  Eph.  6  :  21  f.,  etc. 

4  Cf.  2  Cor.  I  :  15-2 :  4 ;  7  : 8-12. 

*•  So  Romans,  Ephesians,  Colossians,  Philippians,  etc. 

«  So  the  Gospel  and  First  Epistle  of  John,  Hebrews,  2  Peter, 


The  Missionary  Plan  197 

Word."  ^  So  the  Gospel  facts  were  preserved  for 
the  saints,  furnished  to  the  oncoming  missionaries, 
and  provided  a  firm  historic  basis  for  the  mis- 
sionary religion.  Had  these  facts  been  designed 
for  a  restricted  or  purely  national  religion  they 
might  have  been  long  entrusted  to  oral  tradition  ; 
but  since  they  are  to  be  made  the  possession  of 
all  men  they  must  early  be  put  to  record  so  as  to 
be  introduced  as  history  where  they  can  have  no 
traditional  place.^  They  constitute  a  missionary 
propaganda  as  the  Acts  is  the  historical  exposi- 
tion of  the  inauguration  of  Christian  missions. 
Translations  of  the  Apostolic  writings  begin  very 
early  as  the  natural  extension  of  this  means  of 
propaganda. 

There  are  also  writings  to  encourage  and  sus- 
tain the  converts  under  peculiar  trial  and  tempta- 
tion and  persecution.^ 

{e)  The  training  of  missionary  workers  was 
also  seen  from  the  first  to  be  essential  to  the  work. 
John  the  Baptist  undertook  the  beginnings  of  such 
training  and  "  the  training  of  the  Twelve  "  *  was 
with  Jesus  His  greatest  work.^  Paul  selected  fit 
men  from  all  sections  where  his  successes  were 
achieved  and  surrounded  himself  with  faithful 
men  to  whom  he  might  commit  his  message  and 

>  Cf.  Luke  I :  I  f.  « Cf.  2  Tim.  2  :  2  and  the  entire  epistle. 

3  So  I  Peter,  Revelation. 

*  See  A.  B.  Bruce's  great  work  with  this  title. 

6  Cf.  John  17  :  8  fF. 


198       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

who  in  their  turn  should  be  able  to  teach  others 
also.*  The  training  included  instruction  in 
doctrine  plan  and  method  ;  experience  in  faith, 
surrender,  and  self-denial ;  practical  training  in 
actual  participation  in  the  work.  For  a  long 
while  Jesus  kept  His  Twelve  under  personal 
supervision  and  direction  ;  then  came  a  time  when 
He  sent  them  in  pairs  to  try  themselves  in  work 
apart  from  Him,  and  how  eagerly  He  and  they 
sought  opportunity  for  their  report.^  From  that 
time  Jesus  devoted  Himself  increasingly  to  in- 
structing these  men  until  finally  He  committed 
His  cause  to  their  hands.  Paul  pursued  the  same 
method  and  so  foreshadowed  the  missionary  train- 
ing-school which  became  an  institution  of  mis- 
sionary Christianity  from  the  second  century. 

(/)  Martyrdom  was  also  a  means  of  mission- 
ary extension,*  taking  the  term  in  all  its  meaning 
from  simple  witnessing  without  hindrance,  through 
all  the  stages  of  opposition  and  persecution  to  the 
death  of  the  witnesses  for  their  testimony.  Jesus 
faithfully  taught  His  disciples  to  expect  persecu- 
tion and  death  because  in  the  world  they  should 
have  tribulation  and  men  would  even  think  them- 
selves serving  God  in  killing  the  witnesses  of 
Jesus.  They  are  warned  beforehand  so  as  not  to 
be  disconcerted  by  such  experiences.^     They  must 

1  2  Tim.  2  :  2. 

'  Cf.  Mark  6:  7-13,  30  fF.  and  parallel  passages  in  other  Gospels. 

3  See  John  15  :  27-16 :  4 ;  16  :  33  ;  15  :  20.     See  also  12  :  23-26. 


The  Missionary  Message  199 

remember  always  that  the  servant  is  not  greater 
than  his  master — they  must  expect  treatment 
similar  to  that  of  their  Lord.  They  shall  be  per- 
secuted in  synagogues  and  prisons,  before  kings 
and  governors,  by  parents  and  friends,  Jesus  tells 
them,  *'  for  My  name's  sake."  But  this  will  only 
increase  their  opportunity  for  useful  service ;  **  It 
shall  turn  out  unto  you  for  a  testimony."  They 
are  never  to  seek  primarily  personal  deliverance 
but  to  use  the  occasion  for  witnessing :  "  Settle 
it  therefore  in  your  hearts  not  to  meditate  before- 
hand how  to  answer ;  for  I  will  give  you  a  mouth 
and  wisdom,  which  all  your  adversaries  shall  not 
be  able  to  withstand  or  to  gainsay."  By  faith- 
ful endurance  they  will  gain  the  end  of  life.^  And 
they  rejoiced  to  suffer  for  the  Lord  and  with  Him 
for  His  Gospel's  sake  ^  from  the  first  imprisonment 
of  Peter  and  John  ^  to  the  day  when  in  old  age 
John,  as  **  partaker  ...  in  the  tribulation  and 
kingdom  and  patience  which  are  in  Jesus,  was  in 
the  isle  that  is  called  Patmos,  for  the  word  of 
God  and  the  testimony  of  Jesus."  *  Paul's  cata- 
logues of  his  afflictions  in  2  Corinthians  6 : 4-10, 
1 1 :  23-33,  were  the  common  lot  of  the  mis- 
sionaries so  that  Paul  thought  God  had  set  them 
apart  for  a  sort  of  universal  spectacle.®    But  the 

»  Luke  21  :  12-19. 

'  Acts  4  :  23  fF. ;    5  :  41  f.  ;    7  :  54-60 ;  8  :  I-3 ;    12 :  I  ff.,  etc.,  etc. 
Cf.  also  Col.  1 :  24 ;  2  Tim.  2 :  10 ;  i  Cor.  4  :  9. 
*Acts4;3.  '♦Rev.  1:9.  »  I  Cor.  4:9. 


200       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

outcome  of  it  was  that  Christ  was  proclaimed  and 
in  that  fact  they  rejoiced  and  could  not  be  sup- 
pressed in  their  joy.^ 

(^)  Prayer  as  a  means  in  missionary  labor  will 
best  be  presented  in  the  next  chapter. 

(3)  Now,  how  was  all  this  work  supported? 
Whence  came  the  financial  backing  for  the  enter- 
prise ?  This  subject,  which  stands  so  prominently 
to  the  fore  in  our  time,  is  of  so  minor  importance 
as  to  receive  scant  and  only  indirect  mention  in 
the  New  Testament.  Perhaps,  however,  this 
treatment  of  the  subject  does  not  signify  so  little 
importance  as  might  at  first  appear.  Money  is 
best  gotten  indirectly.  Indeed,  except  in  such  as 
make  it  an  end  in  itself,  money  is  used  only  for 
gaining  that  which  is  the  chief  matter  in  one's 
efforts.  Given  souls  in  sympathy  with  Christ, 
separated  from  the  world,  conscious  of  responsi- 
bility to  God  and  to  the  world  for  reconciling  the 
one  to  the  other  and  what  these  souls  control  of 
material  goods  in  this  world  will  be  freely  dedi- 
cated to  the  promotion  of  that  kingdom  which  our 
Lord  calls  on  us  to  make  the  primary  object  of 
our  endeavor.  The  Bible  prepares  the  soil  of 
stewardship  out  of  which  generous  giving  for 
missions  will  flourish.  This  is  the  lesson  which 
missionary  leaders  are  more  and  more  learning. 
"Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  His 
righteousness  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added 

1  Cf.  Phil.  1 :  18. 


The  Missionary  Plan  2ol 

unto  you  "  is  the  law  of  kingdom  extension  for 
boards  and  secretaries  as  well  as  for  missionaries 
who  go  to  proclaim  the  message. 

There  are  some  important  considerations  that 
explain  in  large  measure  the  slight  mention,  in 
the  New  Testament,  of  the  finances  of  missions. 
There  were  no  "  home  churches  "  and  no  **  Chris- 
tian countries "  to  constitute  bases  of  supply. 
There  were  no  bodies  of  strong  men,  experienced 
in  affairs  and  in  faith  to  constitute  boards  and 
serve  as  general  agents.  Jewish  Christians,  who 
were  the  earliest,  were  as  a  rule  poor  and  the 
heathen  converts  who  speedily  came  to  outnum- 
ber them  were  relatively  wealthy.  The  only  really 
large  financial  undertaking  recorded  in  the  New 
Testament  is  the  collection  for  the  poor  saints  at 
Jerusalem,^  unless  we  include  the  semi-communal 
administration  in  Jerusalem  for  the  first  few  years 
after  Pentecost,^  and  this  is  essentially  the  same. 

As  for  schools,  hospitals,  printing  plants,  houses 
for  worship  and  other  material  institutions,  about 
which  objection  is  sometimes  urged,  it  may 
be  said  that  there  is  no  evidence  that  the  early 
Christians  had  any  institutions  that  were  not  car- 
ried into  the  mission  work.  In  all  respects  ma- 
terial provisions  were  largely  under  the  influence 
of  time,  place  and  general  conditions  which  differed 
largely  from  those  of  our  day. 

'  I  Cor.  i6 :  1-13 ;  2  Cor.  8-9. 

*  Acts  4  :  32-5  :  1 1 ;  cf.  also  6  :  1-6. 


202       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

We  must  examine  some  Scriptural  indications 
as  to  finances. 

In  large  measure  Paul  supported  himself  and 
those  who  attended  him  in  work  ;  ^  but  was  glad 
to  be  free  from  this  necessity.  He  had  a  manly 
independence  but  he  had  more  time  to  devote 
to  his  mission  work  when  supported.  At  Ath- 
ens he  at  first  worked  at  tent-making,  preach- 
ing on  the  Sabbaths,  but  so  soon  as  Silas  and 
Timothy  arrived  from  Macedonia  he  was  able  to 
give  his  full  time  to  the  Word.^  The  explanation 
of  this  is  found  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Philippians 
where  we  learn  that  when  Paul  departed  from 
Macedonia  this  church  had  partnership  with  him 
in  the  matter  of  giving  and  receiving  and  that 
even  in  Thessalonica  they  sent  once  and  again  for 
his  need.^  And  we  learn  further  that  this  was  a 
regular  habit  of  this  church,  for  the  Apostle  re- 
joices that  from  their  first  day  up  to  the  time  he 
wrote  them,  some  ten  years  later,  they  had  had 
partnership  with  him  in  the  extension,  defense  and 
confirmation  of  the  Gospel,  both  while  he  was  in 
prison  and  when  free.*  Paul  was  careful  to  ac- 
cept this  only  as  a  gift  to  the  cause,  not  to  himself, 
and  to  point  out  that  its  chief  value  was  to  the 
giving  church.  He  fully  recognizes  that  by  the 
gift  the  givers  entered  into  participation  with  his 

1  Acts  20 :  34 ;  2  Cor.  1 1 :  7  fF.,  etc. 

2  Act  18  :  1-5 ;  cf.  2  Cor.  11:9.  »  Phil.  4 :  isf. 
*  Such  is  the  clear  meaning  of  Phil,  i :  3-7. 


The  Missionary  Plan  203 

grace  of  being  a  missionary  and  that  the  results  of 
the  enlargement  of  his  work  on  account  of  their 
gifts  was  fruit  that  increased  to  their  account.^ 
Thus  he  encouraged  large  giving,  which  was  **  an 
odor  of  a  sweet  smell,  a  sacrifice  acceptable,  well- 
pleasing  to  God."  ^ 

Paul  took  no  money  from  a  church  or  com- 
munity where  he  was  just  now  working,  founding 
a  church.  In  this  rule  he  differed  from  the  other 
missionaries  and  seems  to  fear  that  he  had  made 
a  mistake  in  it.  The  circumstances  were  peculiar 
in  his  case.  He  drew  so  largely  on  the  gifts  of 
others  while  at  Corinth  as  to  speak  of  himself  as 
"robbing"  these  other  churches.^  Yet  he  main- 
tains the  right  of  all  missionaries  to  food  and 
drink  for  themselves  and  wives  and  implies  that 
this  was  provided  in  the  case  of  all  but  himself 
and  Barnabas.'* 

While  it  is  contemplated  that  the  body  receiv- 
ing the  ministrations  of  the  missionary  shall  be  the 
giver  it  would  seem  that  no  effort  was  made  to 
maintain  any  careful  distinction.  Self-support  is 
in  every  way  encouraged  and  fostered,  but  sup- 
port beyond  self  is  abundantly  evident,  and  is  to 
be  aimed  at. 

There  are  several  examples  of  arranging  for 
churches   to    provide   for  expenses    of  journeys 

iPhil.  1:7;  4:  17.  «Phil.  4:18. 

»  Cf.  Acts  20  :  34;  2  Cor.  1 1 :  7-12 ;  12  ;  14-18. 
*  I  Cor.  9  :  3-16. 


204       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

incident  to  the  mission  work.  Paul  hopes  to 
"make  a  sojourn  with  the  Corinthian  church  or  even 
to  winter  and  that  they  would  then  set  him  for- 
ward on  his  journey,  wherever  he  might  be  going."  ^ 
Meantime  Timothy  comes  to  them  on  an  errand 
and  they  must  see  that  he  is  without  embarrass- 
ment while  there  and  must  then  set  him  forward 
on  his  journey  in  peace. ^  By  such  delicate  sug- 
gestions he  also  requests  the  saints  at  Rome  to 
provide  for  his  journey  into  Spain.^  The  Antioch 
delegation  to  the  Jerusalem  Council  were  **  brought 
on  their  way  by  the  Church."  * 

The  large  company  going  up  to  Jerusalem  with 
Paul  on  his  last  visit  had  along  from  Csesarea 
"  one  Mnason,  of  Cyprus,  an  early  disciple,  with 
whom  they  should  lodge."  ^ 

Another  case  of  individual  support  of  mission- 
aries is  commended  especially  by  John,  who  takes 
occasion  to  point  out  that  we  ought  to  welcome  such 
missionaries  who  have  gone  out  for  the  sake  of  the 
Name,  getting  no  support  from  the  heathen,  since 
thereby  we  may  become  fellow-workers  with  the 
truth.  He  says  therefore  that  one  does  well  to  set 
them  forward  on  their  journeys  "  worthily  of  God."  ^ 
Thus  we  come  upon  the  New  Testament  stand- 
ard for  the  financial  support  of  missions — '*  wor- 
thily of  God."  In  manner  and  measure  worthy 
of  God's  interest  in  missions,  investment  in  the 

»  I  Cor.  i6  :  6.  2  Verses  lO-il.  ^  Rom.  15  :  24. 

<  Acts  15  :  3.  » Acts  21 :  16.  *  2  John  5-8. 


The  Missionary  Plan  205 

cause,  blessing  on  the  work,  outcome  staked  on 
them ;  worthily  of  God's  gift  for  us  and  blessings 
upon  us,  and  opportunity  presented  to  us,  '*  Wor- 
thily of  God "  is  the  Christian  motto  for  mission 
giving. 

The  principles  of  giving  to  all  the  interests  of 
the  kingdom  are  the  same  and  are  set  forth  in 
such  passages  as  Acts  4:32;  Philippians  4 :  10-20 ; 
2  Corinthians  8-9.  **  Not  one  said  that  aught  of 
the  things  in  his  possession  was  his  own."  All 
material  things  are  held  in  stewardship  and  the 
abundance  in  the  hands  of  Christians  in  any  one 
place  must  supply  need  at  another  place.  "  We 
know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  God's 
gift  to  Him  was  "  that  though  He  was  rich  yet  for 
your  sakes  He  became  poor,  that  ye  through  His 
(material)  poverty  might  become  (spiritually)  rich." 
The  Apostle  accounts  it  also  a  great  grace — gift 
from  God — that  by  making  ourselves  poor  (ma- 
terially) we  may  make  many  rich  (spiritually). 
Such  giving  not  only  fills  up  the  measure  of  the 
wants  of  those  whom  it  supports  but  by  being  the 
occasion  of  a  volume  of  thanksgiving  from  very 
many  it  abounds  even  unto  God  Himself.^  No 
wonder  Paul,  in  contemplating  such  an  outcome 
of  Christian  giving,  exclaims:  "Thanks  be  to 
God  for  His  unspeakable  gift."  ^ 

We  conclude,  then,  that  as  far  as  possible  mis- 
sion churches  were  self-supporting;  missionaries 

»  2  Cor.  9 :  12.  3  2  Cor.  9  :  15. 


2o6       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

expected  support  from  such  as  were  able  to  give 
it ;  if  systematic,  sufficient  support  was  lacking 
the  missionaries  went  on  without  it,  working, 
suffering,  enduring,  saving  men  by  means  of  the 
Gospel.  Fixed  compensation  does  not  appear  for 
any  service.  There  is  abundant  evidence  in  gen- 
eral for  the  support  of  missionaries,  whether  this 
was  true  or  not  of  settled  pastors. 

These  days  of  beginnings  leave  methods  in 
finances  undeveloped ;  but  set  forth  clearly  the 
principles  that  call  for  the  consecration  of  all 
wealth,  intellect,  heart,  life  to  the  business  of 
witnessing  to  Jesus  in  all  the  world. 


IX 

THE  MISSIONARY  POWER 

ONE  hopes  that  the  student  will  have  felt 
surprise  and  disappointment  that  Chapter 
III  was  not  followed  by  a  presentation 
of  the  meaning  of  missions  to  the  Holy  Spirit, 
Why  was  it  not  so  ?  For  several  reasons  a  differ- 
ent treatment  was  decided  upon.  For  one  thing, 
the  personal  desires  and  interests  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  are  not  clearly  stated  in  the  Bible.  There 
is  very  abundant  evidence  of  His  personality 
but  few  passages  give  any  hint  of  His  personal, 
prerogative,  if  indeed  any  do.  This  is  remark-  ^ 
able  on  first  thought,  but  is  quite  what  is  to  be 
expected  when  we  recall  His  office.  Jesus  said 
"  He  shall  not  speak  from  Himself ;  but  what 
things  soever  He  shall  hear  shall  He  speak: 
.  .  .  He  shall  glorify  Me ;  for  He  shall  take 
of  Mine  and  shall  make  declaration  to  you."  ^ 
True  to  this  function  the  personal  Spirit  ever 
keeps  His  own  personality  in  the  shadow,  while 
making  the  Christ  real  to  men.  It  may  be  ques- 
tioned whether  in  Biblical  revelation  or  in  believ- 
ing experience  any  one  has  ever  been  conscious 
of  the  Holy  Spirit's  person.     He  is  like  the  wind, 

'John  i6:  13 f. 
207 


2o8       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

known  only  by  His  manifestations  and  these  are 
most  abundant  and  blessed.  When  He  does  His 
mightiest  works  we  come  to  know  Jesus  and 
Jesus  is  glorified.  We  understand  Jesus  better 
and  know  the  Father.  The  Spirit  eludes  us. 
To  missions  the  Holy  Spirit  means  everything. 
And  from  that  standpoint  we  are  to  study  His 
work  in  missions^  in  outline.  Following  the 
characteristic  of  the  Spirit  stressed  by  the  Lord 
Jesus  we  treat  of  His  work  as  the  Missionary 
Power. 

I.  The  Agent  of  Power  ;  the  Holy  Spirit  upon 
and  in  redeemed  men. 

"Apart  from  Me  ye  can  do  nothing,"  is  a 
negative  law  of  the  kingdom  that  the  Lord  has 
written  before  every  life  of  service.^  "  You  now 
understand  the  Messiah,  all  His  work  is  com- 
mitted to  you,  you  must  witness  for  Him  unto 
all    the    nations ;    for  this    you   shall   have   the 

promise  of  My  Father  :   but "  so  Jesus  calls 

His  disciples  up  sharply  to  take  heed.  **  But 
tarry  ye  in  the  city,  until  ye  be  clothed  with 
power  from  on  high."  ^  No  matter  how  great 
nor  how  urgent  the  work — aye,  because  the  work 
is  so  great  and  so  urgent  we  must  lay  no  hand  to 
it  until  the  Power  comes. 

(i)     If  the  work  is  to  succeed  it  must  be  by 

»The   reader  is   referred   to   Dr.   Gordon's   "The  Holy  Spirit  in 
Missions." 
« John  15:5.  »  Luke  24  :  49. 


The  Missionary  Power  209 

the  divine  power  expressing  itself  through  men. 
For  this,  unity  of  God  and  man  is  absolutely  re- 
quired ;  ^  and  this  unity  is  mediated  and  effected 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  by  Him  alone.  Such  is 
the  command  and  the  promise  of  Jesus.  **  Being 
assembled  together  with  them.  He  charged  them 
not  to  depart  from  Jerusalem,  but  to  wait  for 
the  promise  of  the  Father,  which,  said  He^  ye 
heard  from  Me ;  for  John  indeed  baptized  with 
water ;  but  ye  shall  be  baptized  in  the  Holy 
Spirit  not  many  days  hence."  **  Ye  shall  receive 
power,  when  the  Holy  Spirit  is  come  upon  you  ; 
and  ye  shall  be  My  witnesses."  ^  They  had  heard 
from  Jesus  the  promise  of  the  Father  in  the 
upper  room  and  on  the  journey  to  Gethsemane.* 
We  have  the  record  in  John  14 :  12-29  \  I5  •  26- 
16  :  16  to  designate  specifically,  though  in  truth 
the  promise  of  the  Presence  runs  through  all 
the  speech  of  that  night.  We  can  only  sum 
up  the  content  and  import  of  this  promise.  For 
the  great  work  entrusted  to  them  the  followers 
must  be  able  to  draw  indefinitely  on  God  in 
Christ's  name ;  *  if  they  are  doing  this  work 
Christ  will  secure  that  the  Comforter  shall  come 
to  abide  forever  with  them  ;  ^  He  must  come  upon 
working,  loving  believers  for  they  alone  can  re- 
ceive Him  ;  ^  He  will  bring  the  abiding,  loving 

'  John  15  :  1-21 ;  17  :  20-26.  «  Acts  i :  4  f.,  8. 

3  Then  most  fully,  not  then  alone.  *  John  14  :  12-14. 

^  John  14:  15-16.  «John  14:  17-19. 


210       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

presence  of  the  Father  and  Son  to  the  man  who 
loves  Jesus  and  keeps  His  word  ;  ^  the  full  mean- 
ing of  this  cannot  be  known  until  the  Comforter 
has  come  when  He  will  teach  all  things,  recall 
all  Christ's  teaching,  and  bestow  the  peace  of 
Jesus  ;  ^  the  glory  and  purpose  of  the  Father  are 
to  be  fulfilled  in  the  perfect,  joyous,  fruitful 
service  of  Jesus'  followers  in  oneness  with  Him ;  ^ 
the  real,  dominating,  determinant  purpose  of  the 
Spirit  is  to  bear  witness  to  Jesus,  and  believers 
are  witnesses  along  with  Him  ;  *  the  witness  of 
believers  is  to  be  in  an  unfriendly,  opposing^ 
persecuting  world,  a  world  dead  to  be  awakened ; 
rebellious  to  be  subdued  ;  selfish  to  be  surren- 
dered ;  and  for  this  the  presence  of  the  Spirit  is 
more  serviceable  than  the  bodily  presence  of 
Christ,  for  by  His  presence  each  one  on  whom 
He  comes  becomes  a  divine  agent  in  convicting 
the  world  in  respect  of  righteousness,  sin,  and 
judgment;^  much  remains  to  be  taught  the 
men  who  are  to  do  Jesus'  work  and  the  time 
and  conditions  prevent  teaching  it,  but  the  Spirit 
of  Truth  will  guide  into  all  the  truth,  taking 
Christ's  things  and  showing  them  to  His  servants/ 
It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  we  remem- 
ber that  the  Holy  Spirit  does  all  this  by  coming 
**upon  you,"  the  loving  believers  who  have  ac- 
cepted the  work  of  the   Christ:    not  upon  the 

>John  14:  20-24.  2  John  14:  25-29.  «John  15:  1-25. 

*  John  15  :  26  f.  «  John  16  :  i-ii.  « John  16:  12-16. 


The  Missionary  Power  2il 

world  which  cannot  receive  Him,  nor  in  the 
world  as  an  unrecognized  and  so  impersonal 
force ;  but  upon  you.  This  is  the  word  of  Jesus. 
This  is  not  meant  to  deny  the  extensive,  indirect 
work  of  the  Spirit ;  but  to  emphasize  that  His 
direct  work  for  the  kingdom  is  in  and  through 
believing,  surrendered  men.  "  Apart  from  Me  ye 
can  do  nothing  "  is  the  negative  warning  of  which 
the  counterpart  is  spoken  first :  "  He  that  abideth 
in  Me  and  I  in  him,  the  same  beareth  much  fruit," 
for  *'  If  ye  abide  in  Me  and  My  words  (message) 
abide  in  you,  ask  whatsoever  ye  will  and  it  shall 
be  done  for  you."  ^ 

When  witnessing  under  most  difficult  circum- 
stances, not  the  human  witnesses  but  the  Holy 
Spirit  will  be  the  speaker,  speaking  in  us.^ 

(2)  This  is  the  Power  by  which  Jesus  Himself 
accomplished  His  work. 

Even  His  generation  is  attributed  to  the  Spirit. 
Matthew  tells  us  that  Mary  **  was  found  with 
child  of  the  Holy  Spirit,"  ^  and  Luke  *  reports  the 
angel  as  saying  to  Mary  :  "  The  Holy  Spirit  shall 
come  upon  thee,  and  the  power  ^  of  the  Most  High 
shall  overshadow  thee ;  wherefore  also  the  holy 

1  John  15  15,7.  2  Mark  13:  II. 

3  Matt,  i:  18.  4  Luke  i:  35. 

5  Should  we  not  read  Power  ?  Whether  it  is  a  name  or  a  descrip- 
tion, the  use  of  the  term  is  significant.  In  the  Hebrew  parallelism 
here  it  really  seems  better  to  take  it  as  a  synonymous  name  and  read 
"  even  the  Power  of  the  Highest "  and  the  absence  of  article  in  the 
Greek  tends  to  the  same  conclusion. 


212       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

thing  which  is  begotten  shall  be  called  the  Son  of 
God." 

At  His  baptism  the  Holy  Spirit  comes  upon 
Him  to  abide/  convincing  John  the  Baptist,  in 
accordance  with  a  revelation  from  God,  that  this 
is  the  Messiah.^  Into  the  crucial,  initial  conflict 
with  Satan  Jesus,  full  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  led  by 
the  Spirit^  and  from  the  temptation  He  returns 
*'  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit  into  Galilee."  * 

When  Jesus  came  to  preach  in  Nazareth  we 
find  Him  claiming  in  Himself  the  fulfillment  of  the 
prophecy  beginning,  "  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is 
upon  Me."  ^  From  the  study  of  Isaiah,  as  well  as  in 
His  own  experience,  Jesus  could  not  but  be  deeply 
impressed  with  the  Spirit's  relation  to  the  Messiah. 

Isaiah  had  foreseen  that  the  Shoot  out  of  the 
stock  of  Jesse,  the  fruitful  Branch,  should  have  the 
Spirit  of  Jehovah  resting  upon  Him,  for  wisdom, 
understanding,  counsel,  might,  knowledge,  and 
reverence  for  Jehovah,  making  Him  remarkable 
for  His  intuition  ®  of  God,  faithfulness,  righteous- 
ness and  authoritative  judgment.  Thus  shall  the 
Root  of  Jesse  be  made  an  ensign  unto  the  nations 
which  shall  seek  unto  Him,  and  His  resting  place 
(the  end  of  His  work)  shall  be  glorious.^ 

Jehovah  points  Him  out :  "  Behold  My  servant 
whom  I  uphold ;  My  chosen  in  whom  My  soul 

*  Matt.  3 :  i6  f. ;  Luke  3  :  21  f.  *  John  i :  32-34. 

3  Luke  4:1.  4  Luke  4 :  14.  ^  Isa.  61 :  i. 

« Hebrew  "  scent."  '  Isa.  11 ;  I-IO. 


The  Missionary  Power  213 

delighteth ;  I  will  put  My  Spirit  upon  Him ;  and 
He  will  bring  forth  justice  to  the  nations  ; "  ^  and 
the  Servant  Himself,  declaring  His  eternal  work, 
announces  that  **  now  the  Lord  Jehovah  hath  sent 
Me,  and  His  Spirit/'  ^  Matthew  ^  shows  how 
Jesus  was  fulfilling  Isaiah  42  :  i  ff.,  and  how  when 
Jesus  was  charged  with  being  in  league  with 
Beelzebul  He  claimed  to  cast  out  demons  **  in  the 
Spirit  of  God."  ^  Jesus  then  went  on  to  discuss 
the  sin  of  speaking  against  the  Holy  Spirit  which 
shall  not  be  forgiven  in  this  age  nor  that  which  is 
to  come,  for  this  is  "an  eternal  sin."  ®  Mark  says 
that  this  teaching  was  **  because  they  said  He  hath 
an  unclean  spirit."  ^  Peter  declares  that  it  was 
part  of  the  current  teaching  about  Jesus,  "  pub- 
lished throughout  all  Judaea,"  that  God  anointed 
Him  with  the  Holy  Spirit  and  with  power :  who 
went  about  doing  good  and  healing  ...  for 
God  was  with  Him."  ^  *'  The  Spirit  of  Holi- 
ness" by  which  Paul  says  Jesus  was  "declared  to 
be  the  Son  of  God  in  power,  by  the  resurrection 
from  the  dead  "  ^  was  none  other  than  the  Holy 
Spirit  through  whom  Luke  again  tells  us  Jesus 
gave  to  His  Apostles  whom  He  had  chosen  the 
commandments  touching  His  kingdom  and  their 
service  in  it.® 

1  Isa.  43 :  I,  a  most  striking  parallel  to  the  occurrence  at  the 
baptism  of  Jesus. 
»Isa.  48:  16.                    8 Matt.  12:  15.  ♦Matt.  I2:  28. 

6  Matt.  12:31  and  Mark  3  :  29.  •  Mark  3  ;  30. 

'  Acts  10  :  36-38.  8  Rom.  1:4.  »  Acts  1:2. 


214       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

John  3  :  34  has  a  word,  most  probably  from 
Jesus  Himself,  which  we  are  accustomed  to 
apply,  after  an  interpretation  in  the  King  James 
version,  to  Jesus  alone,  but  which  is  true  of  the 
whole  work  of  the  Lord  :  "  He  whom  God  hath 
sent  speaketh  the  words  of  God  ;  for  He  giveth 
not  the  Spirit  by  measure."  The  application  of 
this  measureless  gift  is  indicated  in  Isaiah  59. 
Here  Jehovah  explains  that  the  deplorable  con- 
dition of  Israel  is  due  to  sin  (verses  1-15) ;  and, 
seeing  in  grief  that  there  is  no  justice  among  men 
and  no  intercessor.  He  determines  by  His  own 
hand  to  bring  salvation  and  make  universal  the 
fear  of  His  name  (verses  16-19)  5  then  "  a  Re- 
deemer shall  come  to  Zion  "  (verse  20)  and  under 
Him  this  covenant  shall  be  made  :  **  My  Spirit 
that  is  upon  thee,  and  My  words  which  I  have 
put  in  thy  mouth,  shall  not  depart  out  of  thy 
mouth,  nor  out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed,  nor 
out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed's  seed,  saith  Jehovah, 
from  henceforth  and  forever"  (verse  21).^  This 
is  one  expression  of  the  promise  of  His  Father 
which  Jesus  sends  upon  His  servants. 

(3)  The  conscious  fellowship  with  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  dependence  upon  Him  in  their  witness- 
ing is  everywhere  evident  on  the  part  of  the  New 
Testament  missionaries.  The  priority  and  pri- 
macy of  the  Spirit  in  this  work  Jesus  pointed  out  ^ 
and  His  followers  understood.      It  was  He  who 

1  Cf.  44 :  3 ;  32;  15.  «  John  15  :  26  f. 


The  Missionary  Power  215 

gave  demonstration  and  power  to  their  preach- 
ing/ and  whose  working  in  us  in  power  guaran- 
tees all  our  success ;  ^  who  distributes  in  sover- 
eign wisdom  the  **  gifts  "  that  make  for  effective 
growth.^ 

Dr.  Pierson  has  called  the  Book  of  Acts  **  The 
Acts  of  the  Holy  Spirit,"  and  the  name  has 
eminent  appropriateness.  It  may  equally  be 
called  *'  The  Gospel  of  the  Holy  Spirit."  Those 
who  have  received  the  good  news  of  Jesus  and 
His  salvation  to  proclaim  to  the  world  found  it 
good  news  for  their  mission  when  the  promised 
Spirit's  presence  could  be  announced,  and  it  is 
a  gospel  which  many  of  us  need  to  hear  and 
accept  that  we  may  be  workmen  with  no  cause 
for  shame.  Yes,  Acts  tells  us  of  what  Jesus,  who 
had  "  begun  to  do  "  so  much  in  His  own  person, 
continued  in  the  person  of  the  Holy  Spirit  through 
the  missionaries.  The  feature  of  the  Divine  Pres- 
ence is  never  lost  sight  of  in  the  entire  story.  He 
made  Pentecost  ^  with  all  it  contained,  and  inaugu- 
rated the  Gospel  age  ;  filled  th^m  all  again  that 
they  might  speak  the  word  with  boldness  when 
they  met  persecution  ;  ^  was  lied  to  by  Ananias 
and  Sapphira;^  stirred  Stephen  to  service  and 
emboldened  him  ;  ^  wrought  new  work  in  Philip  ;  ^ 
came  upon  Saul  at  the  hand   of   Ananias ;  ®  led 

»  I  Cor.  2  :  4  f.  «  Col.  1 :  29 ;  cf.  i  Cor.  3  :  5  fF. ;  4 :  20. 

'Rom.  12:  3-8;  I  Cor.  12:  4-11.  *  Acts  2.        ^Acts  4:  31. 

•  Acts  5  :  i-i  I.  1  Acts  6-7.  8  Acts  8.  » Acts  9. 


2i6       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Peter  and  Cornelius  in  the  opening  of  the  door 
of  faith  to  the  heathen  and  set  His  seal  upon  it 
when  open  that  it  might  no  more  be  shut ;  ^  raised 
up  prophets  for  the  work  ;  ^  opened,  through  an 
angel,  the  prison  door  for  Peter ;  ^  inaugurated 
a  new  and  general  era  of  mission  work  ;  *  and  at- 
tended the  missionaries  in  their  work;^  settled 
a  serious  question  affecting  the  growth  of  the 
kingdom ;  ^  restrained,  guided,  blessed  Paul  and 
his  associates  in  work ;  ^  when  Paul  found  cer- 
tain disciples  at  Ephesus  not  yet  acquainted  with 
the  Holy  Spirit  and  baptized  them  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  the  Spirit  approved  with  signs  ;  ^ 
He  led  Paul  at  every  stage  of  his  career.^  Not 
one  chapter  in  this  Book  is  lacking  in  record  of 
the  Spirit's  work  of  guidance,  strengthening, 
making  the  witness  effectual  in  conversion,  plan- 
ning and  directing  the  movements  of  the  mission- 
aries. Truly  His  was  the  power  **  energizing 
mightily "  in  them  that  bore  the  good  tidings 
to  men. 

2.  Prayer  is  the  means  by  which  the  Power 
of  the  Spirit  is  brought  upon  the  witnesses  of 
Jesus. 

The  relation  of  prayer  to  every  work  of  the 
kingdom  is  essential    and   insistent.     We   must 

*  Acts  lo-ii.  2  Acts  II  :  27 fF.,  etc.  »  Acts  12. 

*  Acts  13  :  I  fF.  6  Acts  13 :  4-14 :  27.  «  Acts  15  :  28. 

'  Acts  16 :  6-10,  14  ;  17  :  34  ;  18  :  9  f.  «  Acts  19  :  1-7. 

»  Remaining  chapters  of  Acts  show  this. 


The  Missionary  Power  217 

pray  for  the  Power,  pray  in  the  Spirit,  pray  at 
every  phase  and  every  turn  of  our  witnessing. 
Our  prayer  must  be  the  submission  of  ourselves  to 
the  Spirit  and  the  bringing  ourselves  into  sym- 
pathy with  the  mind  of  the  Spirit  who  is  the  Wit- 
ness over  and  within  the  witnesses. 

(i)  It  was  a  good  day  in  the  history  of  the 
training  of  His  disciples  when  **  it  came  to  pass 
as  Jesus  was  praying  in  a  certain  place,  that  when 
He  had  ceased,  one  of  His  disciples  said  unto 
Him,  Lord  teach  us  to  pray."  ^  It  indicated  that 
the  connection  between  prayer  and  power  in  the 
life  of  our  Lord  was  impressing  itself  on  their 
minds.  And  the  memory  of  that  disciple  went 
back  and  placed  a  new  significance  on  an  earlier 
experience,  as  he  added,  "as  John  also  taught 
his  disciples.''  The  addition  shows  that  the 
Forerunner  who  was  "filled  with  the  Holy 
Spirit  from  his  mother's  womb"  laid  stress  on 
prayer  in  his  preaching  of  the  kingdom. 

We  shall  do  well  to  make  diligent  study  of  the 
prayer  life  of  our  Lord,  It  is  significant  that  the 
incidents  of  His  birth  and  first  years  move  in  an 
atmosphere  of  devout  communication  with  God. 
His  first  recorded  word  is  "  Did  you  not  know  that 
I  must  be  in  My  Father's  house?" ^  and  He  de- 

*Luke  II  :  i. 

2  Luke  2 :  49.  The  substantive  is  not  in  the  Greek,  but  the  context 
shows  that  only  this  word  can  be  the  first  meaning,  though  a  larger 
meaning  is  doubtless  to  be  understood  also. 


2l8       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

dares  later  that  He  regards  His  Father's  house  as 
**  a  house  of  prayer."  ^ 

It  was  while  Jesus,  after  His  baptism,  was  pray- 
ing that  the  heaven  was  opened  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  descended  upon  Him  and  a  voice  came  out 
of  heaven  saying,  Thou  art  My  beloved  Son ;  in 
Thee  I  am  well  pleased.^  We  recall  in  this  con- 
nection that  the  three  occasions  when  the  Father 
spoke  audibly  His  approval  of  His  Son  in  His 
earthly  ministry  were  all  while  He  was  in  prayer. 
When  He  went  into  the  mountain  where  He  was 
transfigured  before  the  three  the  only  recorded 
purpose  for  that  ascent  is  that  **  He  went  up  into 
the  mountain  to  pray."  And  Luke's  record  fol- 
lows :  **  And  as  He  was  praying  the  fashion  of 
His  countenance  was  altered  .  .  .  and  there 
talked  with  Him  two  men,  who  were  Moses  and 
Elijah.  .  .  .  And  a  voice  came  out  of  the 
cloud,  saying,  This  is  My  Son,  My  chosen  ;  hear 
ye  Him."  ^  Again  in  the  last  days  of  His  ministry 
Jesus,  standing  at  the  point  where  His  Gospel 
can  no  longer  be  confined  to  Jews  but  must  be- 
come universal  and  so  realizing  that  He  must 
now  *'be  lifted  up"  prays,  "Father  glorify  Thy 
name.  There  came  therefore  (N.  B.)  a  voice  out 
of  heaven :  I  have  both  glorified  it  and  will 
glorify  it  again."  * 

When    His   work  was    growing   so   great  in 

>  Luke  19 :  46.  2  Lu^g  3  :  21  f. 

»  Luke  9  :  28-36.  *  John  12 :  28. 


The  Missionary  Power  219 

Galilee  "it  came  to  pass  in  these  days,  that  He 
went  out  into  the  mountain  to  pray ;  and  He  con- 
tinued all  night  in  prayer  to  God.  And  when  it 
was  day,  He  called  His  disciples ;  and  He  chose 
from  them  twelve,  whom  He  also  named  Apos- 
tles." ^  No  more  important  act  belongs  to  all  the 
plan  and  work  of  the  Lord's  mission  and  He 
comes  to  this  selection  only  after  a  whole  night  of 
prayer.  A  while  later,  when  His  compassion  is 
greatly  stirred  for  the  shepherdless  multitudes, 
Jesus  calls  these  prayer-appointed  men  and  says, 
"The  harvest  indeed  is  plenteous,  but  the  laborers 
are  few.  Pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord  of  the 
harvest,  that  He  send  forth  laborers  into  His 
harvest "  :  then  after  this  call  to  prayer  He  gives 
instructions  to  the  twelve  and  sends  them  out 
to  meet  in  their  measure  the  needs  of  the 
multitudes.^ 

When  His  days  were  crowded  with  throngs 
eager  for  His  healing  Jesus  would  arise  a  great 
while  before  day  and  seek  a  quiet  place  for 
prayer  ;  ^  when  a  sordid,  selfish  multitude  would 
**take  Him  by  force  to  make  Him  king,"  "He 
departed  into  the  mountain  to  pray"  and  joined 
His  disciples  rowing  in  the  midst  of  a  raging  sea 
"  about  the  fourth  watch  of  the  night "  ;  ^  facing 
death  and  distress  in  His  friends  with  bitter, 
cunning  hate   in  His   enemies,   at  the   tomb   of 

iLuke6:l2f.  2  Matt.  9  :  36-10 :  5. 

8  Mark  i  :  35.  *  John  6:15;  Mark  6  :  46-48. 


220       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Lazarus,  He  lifted  up  His  voice  to  thank  the 
Father  that  He  had  heard  Him  ^ — heard  Him  no 
doubt  when  several  days  ago  across  the  Jordan 
came  the  word  of  Lazarus'  illness.  Then,  show- 
ing the  fact  and  faith  of  His  prayer  habit,  He 
adds,  "  And  I  knew  that  Thou  hearest  Me  always ; 
but  because  of  the  multitude  that  standeth  around 
I  said  it,  that  they  may  believe  that  Thou  didst 
send  Me."  ^  Then  it  was  a  petition  for  power 
over  death,  now  a  prayer  of  thanksgiving  to  in- 
spire faith,  always  it  is  the  prayer  of  trust. 

When  Satan  asked  for  the  Twelve  that  he  might 
sift  them  it  was  important  to  allow  him  to  do  his 
worst,  but  Jesus  tells  Simon  "  I  made  supplication 
for  thee  that  thy  faith  fail  not."  ^  When  the 
climax  of  His  life  came  and  He  was  meeting  the 
cross  our  Lord  forever  sanctified  a  place  and  an 
experience  when  He  "  poured  out  His  soul  unto 
death "  in  the  prayer  of  Gethsemane  and  was 
"  heard  for  His  godly  fear."  ^  So  He  came  to  His 
cross  in  prayer,  and  continued  to  utter  prayer* 
until  He  gave  His  spirit  into  the  Father's  care.® 

And  what  lessons  in  prayer  He  taught  His  fol- 
lowers in  word,  as  well  as  in  His  own  praying. 
As  soon  as  they  understand  their  function  in  the 
kingdom  they  must  make  their  chief  prayer  for 
the  kingdom;^  and  it  will  be  His  own  request 

*  John  11:41.  «  Verse  42.  3  Luke  22 :  31. 
4  Heb.  5:7.                                         6  Luke  23 :  34  ;  Mark  15  :  34. 

•  Luke  23 :  46.  i  Matt.  6 :  9  fif. 


The  Missionary  Power  221 

that  the  Father  send  the  Other  Presence  to  abide 
with  them.^ 

Well  may  the  witnesses  learn  that  men  "  ought 
always  to  pray  and  not  to  faint,"  ^  and  come  with 
the  request  of  the  early  disciples,  **  Lord  teach  us 
to  pray."  Then  let  us  go  and  learn  the  full  mean- 
ing of  the  limitless  prayer  promises  to  them  that 
undertake  the  Lord's  "  greater  works."  ^ 

In  our  work  of  binding  and  loosing  on  earth 
for  heaven  Jesus  has  a  final  message  :  **  Again  I 
say  unto  you,  that  if  two  of  you  shall  agree  on 
earth  as  touching  anything  that  they  shall  ask  it 
shall  come  to  pass  for  them  from  My  Father  who 
is  in  heaven.  For  where  two  or  three  are  gathered 
together  in  My  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of 
them." ' 

"All  things  whatsoever  ye  pray  and  ask  for, 
believe  that  ye  received  (at  the  time  of  asking) 
and  ye  shall  have  them."  * 

(2)  The  history  of  the  power  of  the  witnesses, 
in  Acts,  shows  that  the  Power  in  the  witnesses 
came  in  connection  with  prayer. 

The  great  initial  and  permanent  advent  of  the 
Spirit  on  Pentecost  followed  ten  days  after  the 
Ascension.  How  these  days  were  spent  we  may 
read  in  Acts  1:12-14:  "Then  returned  they 
unto  Jerusalem  from  .  .  .  Olivet.  .  .  . 
And  when  they  were  come  in,  they  went  up  into 

«  John  14 :  16.  a  Luke  i8 :  I.  «  John  14 :  I2fr. 

•Matt  16:  191  •Markii:24. 


222       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

the  upper  chamber  where  they  were  abiding. 
.  .  .  These  all  with  one  accord  were  applying 
their  strength  to  prayer.''  While  they  were  still 
thus  together  in  one  place  came  the  powerful 
manifestation  "and  they  were  all  filled  with  the 
Holy  Spirit." 

After  the  first  experience  of  persecution  the  dis- 
ciples all  came  together  in  prayer  for  courage  and 
power.  "  And  when  they  had  prayed,  the  place 
was  shaken  where  they  were  gathered  together ; 
and  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
they  spake  the  word  of  God  with  boldness."  ^ 
When  Peter  and  John  came  down  to  Samaria 
and  saw  the  converts  Philip  had  gained  "they 
prayed  for  them  that  they  might  receive  the  Holy 
Spirit.  .  .  .  Then  they  laid  their  hands  on 
them  and  they  received  the  Holy  Spirit."  ^  Cor- 
nelius and  Peter  was  each  at  prayer  when  there 
came  to  them  the  remarkable  revelations  that  by 
bringing  them  together  opened  the  door  of  faith 
to  the  heathen.^  •*  Behold  he  prayeth "  was  the 
ground  on  which  Ananias  is  sent  to  Saul  of  Tarsus 
in  Damascus  that  he  might  receive  his  sight  and 
be  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit.'*  When  the  angel 
had  delivered  Peter  from  prison  and  he  came  to  the 
house  of  Mary  he  found  many  gathered  together 
praying ;  prayer  had  opened  the  way  for  power.^ 
It  was  while  the  "  prophets  and  teachers  "  at  Anti- 

1  Acts  4 :  31.  *  Acts  8 :  15  ff.  *  Acts  10 :  2f.,  9. 

*  Acts  9;  II,  17.  6  Acts  12:  12. 


The  Missionary  Power  223 

och  **  ministered  to  the  Lord  and  fasted"  that  **  the 
Holy  Spirit  said,  Separate  Me  Barnabas  and  Saul 
for  the  work  whereunto  1  have  called  them."  ^  It 
was  at  **  a  place  of  prayer  "  that  Paul  and  his  fel- 
lows made  their  first  converts  in  Europe,^  and  on 
their  way  to  "the  place  of  prayer"  that  they  cast 
out  the  demon  from  the  demoniac  girl  ^  and  while 
Paul  and  Silas  **  were  praying  and  singing  hymns 
unto  God  "  that  the  earthquake  loosed  the  bands 
of  the  prisoners  and  led  to  freeing  the  souls  of 
many/  Philippi  was  acquainted  with  the  Gospel 
through  prayer  and  in  power.  But  enough  illus- 
trations have  been  given  to  show  how  in  practice 
the  power  came  with  prayer. 

(3)  To  complete  the  presentation,  glance  at  the 
stress  the  great  missionary  Apostle  puts  upon 
intercessory  prayer  as  a  force  in  his  work.  We 
need  not  now  attend  to  the  numerous  exhortations 
to  prayer  running  through  his  epistles,  except  so 
far  as  they  relate  to  the  progress  of  kingdom  ex- 
tension. We  have  seen  already  the  earnest  and 
comprehensive  nature  of  his  prayers  for  the  full- 
ness of  God  to  be  realized  in  the  Church.^ 

Already  in  i  Thessalonians  he  asks  the  breth- 
ren to  pray  for  him  and  his  associates  ^  while 
in  2  Thessalonians  he  amplifies  the  request :  ^ 
**  Brethren,  pray  for  lis,  that  the  word  of  the  Lord 

1  Acts  13  :  2.  «Acte  16:  I3f.  3  Acts  i6:  i6. 

*  Acts  16 :  25-34.  6  Eph.  I  :  15  ff. ;  3 :  14  ff. 

«  I  Thess.  5  :  25.  •'2  Thess.  3 :  I  f. 


224       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

may  run  and  be  glorified,  even  as  also  with  you ; 
and  that  we  may  be  delivered  from  unreasonable 
and  evil  men." 

To  the  Corinthians  he  tells  how  he  has  been 
delivered  from  death  by  God  "  on  whom,"  says 
he,  **  we  have  set  our  hope  that  He  will  also  still 
deliver  us :  ye  also  helping  together  on  our  be- 
half by  your  supplication  ;  that  for  the  gift  be- 
stowed upon  us  by  means  of  many,  thanks  may 
be  given  of  many  persons  on  our  behalf."  ^ 
They  were  to  help  God  deliver  Paul  by  praying 
to  that  end  and  so  the  gift  would  come  upon 
him  by  means  of  many  and  God  would  be  glori- 
fied in  the  gratitude  of  many.  To  the  Romans 
his  plea  is  most  urgent  and  solemn :  ^  "I  call 
you  on,  brethren,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
and  through  the  love  of  the  Spirit  to  strive  to- 
gether with  me  in  your  prayers  in  my  behalf 
unto  our  God,  in  order  that  I  may  be  delivered 
from  the  disobedient  in  Judaea,  and  that  my 
ministration  which  is  for  Jerusalem  may  be  ac- 
ceptable to  the  saints ;  that  I  may  come  unto 
you  in  joy,  through  the  will  of  God,  and  with 
you  find  rest."  This  request  follows  immediately 
upon  his  outline  of  his  missionary  principles  and 
plans. 

In  each  of  the  four  letters  from  Rome,  where 
he  was  in  prison,  he  expresses  his  desire  for, 
and  reliance   on,   the    prayers    of  his  brethren. 

>  Z  Cor,  I :  lof.  2  j^om.  15  :  30  ff. 


The  Missionary  Power  225 

He  hopes  to  be  allowed  to  come  to  Philemon 
*'  through  your  prayers."  ^  He  knows  that  the 
opposition  and  trouble  he  is  encountering  shall 
turn  out  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  purposes 
of  his  ministry  through  the  petitions  of  the 
Philippian  saints  for  him  and  ''  by  the  supply  of 
the  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ "  ^ — a  highly  suggestive 
combination,  intercessory  prayer  for  the  mis- 
sionary and  the  supply  of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

All  the  many  addressed  in  the  Ephesian  letter 
are  urged  to  make  supplication  **  on  my  behalf, 
that  utterance  may  be  given  unto  me  in  open- 
ing my  mouth  to  make  known  with  boldness  the 
secret  of  the  good  news,  for  which  I  am  an 
ambassador  in  a  chain,  that  I  may  be  embold- 
ened as  I  must  speak."  ^ 

He  exhorts  the  Colossians  to  lay  themselves 
out  in  prayer  with  watchfulness  and  thanks- 
giving, "  praying  at  the  same  time,  also,  con- 
cerning us,  in  order  that  our  God  may  open  to  us 
a  door  for  the  word,  to  talk  the  secret  of  the 
Messiah,  for  which  indeed  I  am  in  bonds,  in 
order  that  I  may  make  it  manifest  as  I  ought 
to  speak."  *  He  tells  them,  moreover  (verse  12), 
how  their  pastor,  Epaphras,  is  ever  **  striving  for 
you  in  his  prayers,  that  ye  may  stand  per- 
fect and  fully  assured  in  all  the  will  of  God." 

» Verse  22.  *  Phil.  I  :  19. 

3Eph.  6:i9f.  <Col.  4:26". 


226       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Thus  the  Apostle  commits  to  intercessory 
prayer  every  interest  of  the  missionary  cause. 

The  divine  order  in  this  work  is:  hear  the 
call  to  witness ;  surrender  for  this  service ;  learn 
that  the  power  is  all  of  Christ ;  believe  in  the 
Lord  and  in  this  work ;  pray  always  for  the 
power  of  the  Spirit ;  labor  incessantly  in  His 
strength. 

"  Ye  shall  receive  power  after  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  come  upon  you."  ^  "  If  ye  then,  being  evil, 
know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  chil- 
dren, how  much  more  shall  the  Father  who  is  of 
heaven  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 
Him?"  2 

» Acts  1:8.  2Lukeii:l3. 


X 

THE  MISSIONARY  WORK 

THE  work  of  missions  as  presented  in  the 
Bible  belongs  to  two  periods,  one  before 
and  one  after  Christ. 

I.  In  the  period  of  preparation.  During  this 
period  there  were  few  who  understood  the  spirit 
and  end  of  the  kingdom  and  their  whole  efforts 
were  needed  to  hold  Israel's  head  above  the 
deluging  waters  of  heathenism  and  against 
the  current  of  awful  depravity  of  sin.  And 
the  world  message  was  not  yet  framed,  nor  could 
be  until  it  could  be  written  in  the  Redeemer's 
blood  and  read  in  the  glory  of  His  resurrection. 
Kingdom  growth  could  not  now  be  by  conquest, 
except  by  little  here  and  there ;  and  what  was 
gained  by  attraction  and  done  by  permeation  it 
would  be  difficult  to  trace  with  any  show  of, 
accuracy.  It  is  better  to  treat  the  entire  period 
and  its  work  in  its  truest  aspect,  as  preparatory 
to  the  Messiah  and  His  missions. 

It  will  be  needful,  too,  to  rely  on  the  implica- 
tions of  Scripture,  which  might  be  confirmed  and 
expanded  from  general  history,  rather  than  on 
explicit  citation  for  much  that  belongs  to  the 
preparation  for  a  new  age  of  God's  plan — the  age 

227 


228       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

of  grace  and  truth.  The  numerous  expressions 
of  the  constant  claim  of  the  Bible  tp  God's  con- 
trol of  the  forces  and  peoples  of  history  and  direc- 
tion of  all  to  the  ends  of  His  kingdom  justify  and 
require  that  we  study  the  missionary  preparation 
outside,  as  well  as  in,  the  chosen  race.  That 
"  ethnic  movements  are  missionary "  has  been 
well  set  forth  by  Dr.  Barnes,^  among  others ;  and 
the  Scriptures  could  not  be  otherwise  interpreted. 
It  will  illustrate  this  use  of  all  nations  if  we  ex- 
amine it  in  the  two  Gentile  nations  in  which  the 
preparatory  work  culminated  and  then  point  out 
the  more  specific  missionary  work  by  and  through 
Israel.  Prophets  of  such  a  preparation — prophets 
of  Jehovah  God — are  the  men  who  bring  their 
fellow  men  to  truer  conceptions  of  God  ;  of  human 
sin  and  spiritual  need  ;  of  individual  worth  ;  of 
ethical  values,  and  of  religious  motives  and 
destiny.  Such  prophets  arose  in  various  lands 
and  times,  Persians,  Hindus,  Romans,  Greeks.^ 

(i)  Material  preparation  is  illustrated  in  the 
Romans,  though  they  also  aided  in  other  ways. 
We  may  outline  their  value  to  missions  thus  : 

{a)  The  Roman  Empire  greatly  aided  in 
the  practical  conception  of  racial  unity.  "The 
world"  came  to  be  a  synonym  for  the  Roman 
Empire,  and  the  term  is  so  used  repeatedly  in 

1 "  Two  Thousand  Years  of  Missions  Before  Carey." 
»  Cf.  Wenley,  «  Preparation  for  Christianity  in  the  Ancient  World  *♦ ; 
Hyde,  "  From  Epicurus  to  Christ,"  etc. 


The  Missionary  Work  229 

the  New  Testament/  A  universal  kingdom  was 
the  right  time  and  place  for  the  universal  religion 
to  be  inaugurated  and  to  send  out  the  missionaries 
of  its  universal  kingdom.  One  law  for  all  man- 
kind and  one  Lord  of  lords  and  King  of  kings 
was  an  easy  conception  when  missions  began. 

{b)  The  Roman  power  provided  religious 
toleration  while  the  coming  together  of  all  sorts 
of  men  from  all  parts  of  the  world  empire  in  its 
capital  gave  opportunity  for  a  sort  of  study  of 
comparative  religions,  all  of  which  conduced  to 
the  sense  of  need  and  opportunity  for  appeal  for 
the  best,  and  ultimately  for  the  final,  religion. 

(c)  The  Roman  Empire  was  also  used  to  cast 
up  an  highway  for  our  God  through  all  its  wide 
borders.  The  maintenance  of  peace  in  all  the 
provinces  and  the  wise  accounting  of  every 
province  an  integral  part  of  the  empire  and  not 
a  mere  dependency  gave  a  solidarity  to  the  whole 
people,  a  community  of  interest  and  a  cosmo- 
politan publicity  of  affairs  that  made  it  possible 
for  the  Christian  missionary  to  appeal  to  common 
knowledge  of  the  Christian  facts,  for  they  were  not 
done  in  a  corner.^  The  facilities  for  travel,  for 
intercourse  and  commerce  of  ideas,  the  security 
and  encouragement  for  all  who  had  occasion  to 
go  where  they  might  wish,  were  never  equalled  in 
the  world  before  this  time,  and  after  the  fourth 
century  never  again  until  in  the  past  century. 

1 E.  g.  Luke  2  ;  I.  ^  Acts  26  :  26. 


230       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

(d)  It  was  under  Rome's  prosperity,  too,  that 
man's  incapacity  for  making  himself  a  sufficient  re- 
ligion became  manifest,  as  did  also  the  vain  effort 
by  sinful  luxury  and  licentious  abandon  to  dismiss 
the  concerns  of  the  soul.  In  Rome  all  the  cults 
of  the  age,  the  mysteries,  the  sorceries,  the 
necromancies,  the  polytheisms,  hero-worship  and 
apotheosis  of  imperial  masters,  all  had  their  op- 
portunity and  their  judgment. 

(e)  A  language  for  the  good  tidings  in  all 
western  Europe  was  added  to  the  facilities  for  the 
heralding  of  the  good  tidings. 

(/)  The  material  contributions  of  Rome  were 
positive  and  indispensable.  The  spiritual  prep- 
arations we  have  mentioned  were  negative. 
One  other  positive  value  came  also  in  the  fact 
that  it  was  Roman  law  and  jurisprudence  that 
provided  the  thought  forms  for  the  Christian 
doctrine  of  righteousness.  These  had  to  be 
modified  and  a  new  significance  put  upon  them 
for  the  new  divine  facts  involved,  but  the  forms 
of  thought  are  those  made  familiar  by  Rome's 
methods  of  judicial  procedure. 

(2)  The  Greeks  were  the  intellectual  missionaries 
of  the  age  just  preceding  the  coming  of  the  Christ 
and  illustrate  for  us  God's  use  of  such  means  in 
advancing  His  kingdom,  both  before  and  after  the 
hegemony  of  Greek  thought. 

It  is  a  commonplace  that  when  Rome  made 
material  conquest  of  Greece  she  in  turn  became 


The  Missionary  Work  231 

subject  to  Greek  intellectual  control.  In  each 
case  God  was  taking  away  from  each  the  vine- 
yard and  delivering  it  to  another  bringing  forth 
the  fruits  thereof.^  So  He  has  used  the  nations 
all  through  history.^ 

(a)  Greece  was  the  world's  teacher  of  the 
place  and  value  of  humanity  in  this  world.  The 
Sophists  first  of  all  took  man  for  the  centre  of 
study  and  the  standpoint  for  knowing  things ; 
Socrates  showed  that  the  moral  nature  is  the  real 
thing  in  man,  with  conscience  as  the  voice  of 
Divinity  ;  the  ethical  dramatists  taught  men  to 
look  for  moral  judgments  with  awards  and 
penalties  on  the  basis  of  a  moral  order  dominant  in 
the  universe ;  and  Plato  saw  that  the  religious  ele- 
ment in  man  is  the  supreme  fact  and  longed  for 
the  coming  of  some  Divine  Man  who  could  teach 
the  way  to  harmony  with  God.  The  Hebrew 
prophets  proclaimed  all  these  truths,  or  assumed 
them,  but  it  was  from  Greece  that  their  sound 
went  out  among  men. 

(d)  The  Greeks  taught  men  to  think,  to  think 
deeply  and  accurately.  When  they  were  made 
the  world's  intellectual  teachers  they  were  dis- 
tributed throughout  the  world  that  they  might 
fulfill  their  mission.  Christianity  is  not  a  system 
of  thought  but  it  uses  thought  and  appeals  to 
thinking  men  and  offers  problems  for  the  best  and 
highest  thinking.     The  influence  it  gained  with 

*  Matt.  21  :  41.         'Cf.  Isa.  20 ;  Dan.  7,  especially  verses  14,  26  f. 


232       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Greek  thinkers  and  the  early  influence  of  Greeks 
in  Christian  education  fit  exactly  into  this  view. 

(c)  Greek  thought  produced  Greek  skepticism 
which  undermined  the  religion  of  Greece  with  its 
mythology  and  superstition  and  discounted  the 
heathen  gods.  It  could  not  proclaim  the  true 
God  for  to  it  He  was  the  Unknown  God,  but  the 
needful  God.  Without  Him  there  were  not  gods 
enough  in  Athens,  even  when  it  was  easier  there 
to  find  a  god  than  a  man. 

{d)  Greeks  provided  missions  a  universal  lan- 
guage, highly  perfected,  and,  because  of  the 
thought  history  of  the  people,  with  a  vocabulary 
wonderfully  fitted  for  religious  universalism,  ideal- 
ism, and  ethical  values.  At  the  same  time  this 
language  was  largely  emptied  of  religious  content 
by  virtue  of  Greek  skepticism  and  the  words  were 
perfected  vessels  ready  to  be  filled  and  sanctified 
with  religious  meaning.  Much  of  the  preaching 
and  nearly  all  the  writing  of  Apostolic  missions 
employed  this  tongue. 

Remember  now  that  we  have  spoken  of  these 
two  nations  as  illustrative  of  a  sort  of  indirect,  but 
not  non-essential,  work  for  kingdom  extension  in 
which  the  people  have  served  the  God  of  heaven 
who  in  the  days  of  these  kings  is  setting  up  His 
kingdom  which  shall  never  be  destroyed.^ 

(3)  Our  main  concern  is  with  the  religious 
preparation  which  made  use  mainly  of  the  Hebrew 

*  Dan.  2  :  44. 


The  Missionary  Work  233 

people.     We  must  outline  the  mission  work  ac- 
complished through  them. 

{a)  What  was  done  was  in  the  main  indirect 
and  undesigned  on  the  part  of  Israel.  In  spite  of 
their  deplorable  apostasies,  their  low  ideas  and 
corruption  in  religion  and  life,  their  rebellion 
against  Jehovah  and  unfaithfulness  to  the  ideals 
He  gave  them,  it  must  still  be  remembered  that 
relatively  Israel's  moral  and  spiritual  influence 
was  usually  for  the  bettering  of  the  nations.  Their 
racial  integrity  was  based  on  a  religious  principle 
and  supported  by  a  religious  history  which  was  a 
never-failing  source  of  appeal  for  reforming  king 
and  prophet  of  righteousness.  When  the  people 
had  sunk  so  low  that  they  were  not  better  than 
their  neighbors,  when  the  cup  of  their  iniquity 
was  full  and  they  must  pay  the  penalty  of  national 
captivity  and  ruin,  the  prophets  of  Jehovah  were 
sent  to  make  it  clear  not  only  to  Israel,  but  to  all 
the  nations  as  well,  that  this  calamity  was  not  due 
to  the  impotence  of  Israel's*  God  but  to  the  holi- 
ness of  His  nature  which  made  it  morally  impossible 
for  Him  to  perpetuate  the  wicked  nation  even 
though  it  could  call  Moses  and  Samuel  to  stand 
before  Him  and  plead  the  covenants  and  history.^ 
So  it  came  about  that  the  loss  of  national  standing 
by  the  missionary  race  was  made  occasion  for 
emphasizing  their  religious  message  to  all  men. 
The  prophets  of  the  apostasy  were  at  once  the 

» Jer.  15  :  i  and  cf.  Ezek.  14 :  14,  20. 


^34       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

prophets  of  the  holiness  of  God  and  of  His  mes- 
sage to  all  men.  Such  were  Isaiah,  Amos,  Jere- 
miah, Zechariah  and  Daniel  in  peculiar  degree. 
So  long  as  the  racial  integrity  was  preserved 
Israel  was  inevitably  a  teacher  of  their  ideas  of 
God  and  His  goodness ;  and  when  that  integrity 
was  threatened  and  falling,  then  flourished  the 
greatest  prophetic  period  in  their  history.  When 
other  nations  fell  it  was  understood  to  be  a  failure 
of  their  gods  but  Jehovah  took  care  to  make  Israel's 
fall  the  sign  of  His  power  used  in  the  interests 
of  His  purity  and  the  lesson  of  religion  had  its 
widest  reading  under  most  impressive  circum- 
stances. 

So  it  was  that  Jehovah's  presence  and  power 
manifest  in  Israel,  and  His  ethical  and  spiritual 
superiority  to  all  heathen  conceptions  of  deity, 
made  constant  appeal  to  men.  The  value  of  such 
an  appeal  is  recognized  in  many  places  in  Scrip- 
ture. Take,  for  example,  the  exhortation  of  Psalm 
98:  2f!.: 

"  Oh,  sing  unto  Jehovah  a  new  song ; 

For  He  hath  done  marvellous  things : 

His  righteousness  hath  He  openly  showed  in 
the  sight  of  the  nations. 

He  hath  remembered  His  loving-kindness  and 
His  faithfulness  towards  the  house  of  Israel : 

All  the  ends  of  the  earth  have  seen  the  salvation 
of  our  God. 

Make  a  joyful  noise  unto  Jehovah,  all  the  earth ; 


The  Missionary  Work  235 

Break  forth  and  sing  for  joy,  yea  sing  praises." 
Similarly  all  of  Psalm  67,  from  which  this : 
*'  God  be  merciful  unto  us  and  bless  us, 
And  cause  His  face  to  shine  upon  us  ; 
That  Thy  way  may  be  known  upon  earth, 
Thy  salvation  among  all  nations." 
That  this  was  an   effective  influence  we  find 
examples    in   the   whole   course   of    the   history. 
Abimelech  came  with  his  captain-general  to  say 
to  Abraham :  "  God  is  with  thee  in  all  that  thou 
doest,"   and   to   make  a  covenant  with  him  for 
generations  and  to  seal  it  by  oath  of  Abraham's 
God,  both  of  them.^     And  the  same  reverent  fear 
was  shown  of  Isaac  because  of  God's  protecting 
presence  with   him.^     The   strategy  of  the  Gib- 
eonites  by  which  they  gained  a  place  in  Israel's 
life  was  not  highly  moral  but  speaks  of  the  fame 
of  Jehovah's  name  and  His  works  in  behalf  of  His 
people.^ 

The  influence  of  David's  career  and  of  Solo- 
mon's beginning  so  impressed  Hiram  King  of 
Tyre  that  when  Solomon  sent  him  a  message 
asking  help  in  building  the  temple  and  had  said, 
"  And  the  house  which  I  build  is  great ;  for  great 
is  our  God  above  all  gods.  But  who  is  able  to 
build  Him  a  house,  seeing  heaven  and  the  heaven 
of  heavens  cannot  contain  Him  ?  "  Hiram  feels 
no  resentment  but  replies:  ''Blessed  be  Jehovah, 
the  God  of  Israel,  that  made  heaven  and  earth, 

1  Gen.  21 :  22  ft.  2  Gen.  26:  26  ff.  »  Josh.  9. 


236       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

who  hath  given  to  David  a  wise  son  .  .  . 
that  should  build  a  house  for  Jehovah,  and  a 
house  for  His  kingdom."  ^  It  requires  no  stretch 
of  imagination  to  find  here  an  indication  of  a  very 
extensive  influence  for  the  religion  of  Jehovah. 
How  extensively  aliens  were  attracted  to  Israel's 
territory  is  intimated  by  the  use  made  of  them  in 
preparing  for  the  temple  building  by  both  David  ^ 
and  Solomon,  the  latter  employing  as  many  as 
153,600  of  them.^  We  need  not  assume  devout 
piety  for  all  these  and  their  families  any  more  than 
for  all  Israel  but  they  were  certainly  under  the 
spell  of  Jehovah's  religion. 

It  was  "  when  the  Queen  of  Sheba  heard  of  the 
fame  of  Solomon  concerning  the  name  of  Jehovah" 
that  "she  came  to  prove  him  with  hard  ques- 
tions." And  this  fact  informs  us  that  Solomon's 
fame  was  bound  up  with  Jehovah's  religion  and 
we  learn  that  the  queen  understood  that  He  was 
a  God  of  love,  justice  and  righteousness.''  The 
very  wide  influence  of  Israel  under  the  reigns  of 
David  and  Solomon  gave  very  exceptional  op- 
portunities for  educating  the  world  in  true  ideas 
of  religion,  and  we  have  seen  in  some  of  the 
Psalms  how  this  opportunity  was  appreciated. 

Even  in  days  of  depression  and  national  in- 
consequence there  were  opportunities  for  influen- 
cing the  heathen.     Naomi  quietly  won  Ruth  to 

1  See  2  Chron.  2.  «  l  Chron.  22 :  2  fF. 

'2  Chron.  2:  lyflf.  *!  Kings  10:  i-io. 


The  Missionary  Work  237 

her  God  while  a  refugee  in  Moab/  Rahab  saved 
herself  and  family  by  her  insight  and  faith.^ 
These  two  heathen  women  and  a  third,  wife  of  an 
Hittite,  Bathsheba,^  entered  their  blood  in  the 
genealogy  of  Jesus,  thus  giving  the  heathen  a 
natural  possession  in  the  Saviour  of  the  world.* 
The  captive  maid  in  Naaman's  household  did^ 
what  many  another  may  have  done.  What 
may  have  been  the  influence  of  the  great  body 
of  Israelites  who  did  not  return  from  Babylon 
and  other  lands  in  which  they  were  scattered  can 
only  be  conjectured.  There  are  those  who  think 
their  influence  discernible  to  this  day  in  prepara- 
tion for  the  Gospel  in  the  East. 

The  restored  Jews  entered  upon  a  period  of 
religious  influence  quite  remarkable  when  we 
consider  their  small  number  and  very  subordinate 
national  position.  They  returned  with  a  subdued 
spirit,  a  chastened  religion,  an  intense  exclusive- 
ness  and  a  new  intensity  of  future  expectancy 
that  made  them  notable  among  nations.  The 
literature  of  this  period  indicates  a  large  and 
growing  influence  of  Jewish  religious  ideas  on 
the  thought  of  the  world. 

{b)  Of  direct,  conscious  and  purposeful  mis- 
sionary effort  we  cannot  recount  very  much. 
The  law  provides  for  the  reception  and  treat- 
ment of  converts  but  the   records  do   not  show 


1  Ruth  I :  i6ff.  'Josh.  2:  8ff. ;  6 :  22f. 

»  Matt.  I ;  6.  *  Matt.  1 :  5  f.  ^2  Kings  5. 


238       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

efforts  to  win  these  nor  the  accession  of  any- 
great  numbers.  A  famous  instance  is  that  of 
Moses'  successful  persuasion  of  Hobab  to  ac- 
company the  people  of  Israel  from  Midian  to 
Canaan/  Some  of  the  Psalms,  notably  such  as 
65  and  66,  are  universal  in  spirit  and  appli- 
cation and  may  well  have  been  designed  for 
use  by  many  others  than  Israel.  Such  songs 
in  the  days  of  David  and  Solomon,  of  Hezekiah 
and  Josiah  would  be  heard  and  sung  by  many 
a  *'  stranger  within  the  gates "  and  might  have 
larger  use  still.  Ecclesiastes  is  a  very  powerful 
sermon,  with  the  subject  "  The  End  of  Man," 
reached  in  the  close  where  the  preacher  ex- 
claims :  **  The  end  of  the  matter ;  all  hath  been 
heard :  Fear  God,  and  keep  His  commandments  ; 
for  this  is  the  whole  of  man.  For  God  will 
bring  every  work  into  judgment,  with  every 
hidden  thing,  whether  it  be  good  or  whether  it 
be  evil."  ^  If  Solomon  was  the  author  of  this 
masterful  work  it  is  likely  to  have  been  widely 
read  and  its  adaptation  is  unlimited. 

Jonah  was  an  unwilling  missionary  and  the 
spirit  of  the  man  is  the  only  real  argument 
against  its  historical  character.  But,  however 
unwilling,  he  was  remarkably  successful  in 
bringing  the  great  city  of  Nineveh  to  repent- 
ance and  saving  it  from  its  doom.  Possibly 
the  ungracious  spirit  of  the  preacher  intensified 

*  Num.  10 :  29 ;  cf.  Judges  4:11.  3  Eccl.  12  :  13  f. 


The  Missionary  Work  239 

his  severity  and  heightened  the  alarming  effect 
of  his  warning.  In  any  case  he  presents 
a  remarkably  informing  incident  in  Israel's 
career.^ 

That  Isaiah  and  Amos  had  messages  for  others 
than  Israel  we  have  already  seen,^  but  we  have 
no  record  of  the  results  of  their  messages  to  the 
nations. 

Jeremiah  was  called  to  be  a  prophet  not 
of  his  nation  merely  but  **  to  the  nations "  and 
the  records  tell  of  his  messages  to  many 
peoples.  In  the  main,  however,  he  was  for  these, 
as  for  Israel,  the  prophet  of  Jehovah's  punish- 
ments. 

After  the  Captivity  the  land  was  filled  with  a 
degraded  and  ignorant  mixed  multitude  sent 
from  various  places  to  occupy  the  land.  When 
wild  beasts  distressed  them  they  applied  to  the 
King  of  Assyria  who  sent  them  one  of  the  Hebrew 
priests  to  "teach  them  the  law  of  the  god  of 
the  land."  He  was  a  Samaritan  and  perhaps 
not  very  orthodox  or  godly.  At  any  rate  his 
work  was  far  from  thorough.  The  immediate 
result  is  summed  up  by  saying :  "  So  these 
nations  feared  Jehovah  and  served  their  graven 
images  ; "  yet  they  laid  the  foundation  for  the 
Samaritan  variation  of  the  religion  of  Jehovah.^ 
The  Samaritans  came  to  cherish   the   Messianic 

1  Cf.  Matheson,  "  Representative  Men  of  the  Bible." 

2  Chap.  VII,  «  2  Kings  17 :  24-41. 


240       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

hope  and  were  many  of  them  prepared  for  the 
good  tidings.^ 

Daniel,  in  a  ministry  covering  practically  the 
whole  period  of  the  Captivity,  was  called  upon 
to  stand  before  the  four  great  kings  in  succes- 
sion. He  maintained  a  true  and  courageous 
course  through  it  all  and  spoke  with  fearless 
faithfulness  to  the  kings  of  Jehovah's  moral 
laws  and  judgments,  of  kingly  pride  and  sin, 
and  of  the  manner  in  which  Jehovah  rules 
above  the  kings,  lifting  up  and  casting  down. 
His  ministry  was  wonderfully  successful.  Neb- 
uchadnezzar's proclamation  **to  all  the  peoples, 
nations  and  languages,  that  dwell  in  all  the 
earth"  recounting  his  dreams,  his  experiences 
and  Daniel's  wisdom  from  God,  tells  how  when 
he  was  restored  to  reason,  *'  I  blessed  the  Most 
High,  and  I  praised  and  honored  Him  that  liveth 
forever;  for  His  dominion  is  an  everlasting 
dominion,  and  His  kingdom  from  generation 
to  generation.  .  .  .  Now  I,  Nebuchadnezzar, 
praise  and  extol  and  honor  the  King  of  heaven  ; 
for  all  His  works  are  truth,  and  His  ways  justice ; 
and  those  that  walk  in  pride  He  is  able  to 
abase."  ^ 

To  the  same  effect  is  the  brief  decree  of  Darius 
"  that  in  all  the  dominion  of  my  kingdom  men 
tremble  and  fear  before  the  God  of  Daniel ;  for 
He  is  the  living  God,  and  steadfast  forever,  and 

1  Cf.  John  4 :  4-42 ;  Acts  8.  »  Dan.  4. 


The  Missionary  Work  241 

His  kingdom  that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed  ; 
and  His  dominion  shall  be  even  unto  the  end."  ^ 
Cyrus  seems  to  have  come  under  the  favorable 
influence  of  Daniel  and  then  to  have  been  espe- 
cially kind  to  Ezra.  In  the  first  year  he  issued  a 
proclamation  allowing  all  Jehovah's  people  who 
cared  to  to  return  to  Jerusalem  and  reestablish  the 
worship  of  Jehovah.  In  this  decree  he  recognizes 
Jehovah  thus :  "  All  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth 
hath  Jehovah,  the  God  of  heaven,  given  me ;  and 
He  hath  charged  me  to  build  Him  a  house  in 
Jerusalem,  which  is  in  Judah."  ^  The  king  pro- 
vided for  materials,  for  the  safe  conduct  of  the 
pilgrims  and  for  their  protection  in  the  land  of 
Judah. 

Artaxerxes  ^  in  his  turn  aided  and  protected  the 
Jews  under  both  Ezra  and  Nehemiah  as  did 
Darius  ^  in  his  turn. 

We  take  all  these  accounts  together  as  indi- 
cating the  fidelity  of  many  witnesses  of  Jehovah 
during  the  days  of  their  darkness  and  of  God's 
sanction  and  blessing  on  them  in  giving  them 
favor  in  the  eyes  of  the  mighty.  How  many  came 
to  believe  in  the  God  of  Israel  or  how  intelligently 
and  consistently  they  believed  it  is  not  possible  to 
say.  Some  large  measure  of  light  certainly  fell 
on  the  world  from  Jewish  religion  in  the  days  of  the 
Babylonian  and  Persian  empires.     It  is  likely  that 

1  Dan.  6 :  25  ff.  2  Ezra  I  :  2. 

'  See  Ezra  and  Nehemiah  passim,  *  Ezra  5-6. 


242       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

the  *'  wise  men  from  the  East "  who  sought  the 
King  in  His  cradle  were  the  successors  of  noble 
converts  of  this  early  day.  And  one  thinks  that 
the  purity  of  Zoroastrianism  must  owe  much  to 
such  men  as  Daniel  who  was  accounted  the  wisest 
man  in  all  the  land  because  '*  the  spirit  of  the  holy 
gods  "  was  in  him.  ^ 

After  the  Restoration  begins  the  period  of  most 
active  efforts  by  Jews  to  win  converts.  The  mo- 
tives are  mixed ;  partly  for  removing  the  burden 
of  reproach  by  making  their  position  understood ; 
pardy  pride  of  their  better  religion  and  ethics  ; 
pardy  the  stubborn  zeal  of  mere  proselydng; 
partly  zeal  for  the  God  of  Israel ;  partly  the  hope 
of  hastening  the  day  when  Jerusalem  should  rule 
the  earth  as  many  believed :  of  love  for  men  one 
finds  very  little. 

The  persistent  struggle  for  separate  existence 
as  a  people,  located,  as  they  were  in  Palestine, 
upon  the  very  highway  of  the  nations  made  the 
Jews  **  a  city  set  upon  a  hill "  whose  light  could 
not  be  hid.  The  various  kings,  and  especially 
Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  distributed  the  Jews  in 
companies  throughout  the  whole  land  and  so 
what  light  they  carried  shone  into  every  corner. 
The  very  nature  of  their  religious  ideas,  so  radi- 
cally different  from  all  other  religions,  made  it  in- 
evitable that  they  should  attract  attention.  Alex- 
andria became   the  centre  of  a  definite  literary 

>Cf.  Dan.  5:  II. 


The  Missionary  Work  243 

propaganda.  There  their  Bible  was  translated 
into  Greek  and  came  to  be  widely  distributed,  and 
when  Jesus  was  born  one  of  the  most  famous  Jew- 
ish writers,  Philo,  was  sending  out  weighty  writ- 
ings seeking  to  make  the  Jewish  faith  appealing 
to  men  of  Greek  learning. 

In  various  ways  and  by  many  means  it  came 
about  that  in  almost  every  place  bands  of  devout 
proselytes  were  attached  to  the  worship  in  Jewish 
synagogues  and  these  were  the  readiest  hearers  of 
the  good  news  brought  by  the  missionaries.  We 
find  them  at  every  turn  in  Acts,  in  individuals, 
like  CorneHus,  and  in  groups  as  at  Thessalonica, 
Beraea,  etc.  They  passed  readily  over  from  Jewish 
hope  to  Christian  realization. 

2.  In  the  period  of  progress  we  have  only  the 
first  century  and  our  New  Testament  records  tell 
little  of  the  outcome  of  the  work  beyond  the 
seventh  decade  of  the  century.  All  our  study  has 
had  to  do  with  various  phases  of  this  progress 
and  it  remains  here  only  to  study  what  we  find 
indicating  the  extent  of  the  work  and  its  results. 

(i)  The  work  of  Jesus  and  of  John  the  Baptist 
was  limited  in  scope  to  *'  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house 
of  Israel."  John  attracted  enormous  multitudes 
and  aroused  the  interest  and  expectancy  of  all  the 
Jews  in  Palestine.  Paul's  finding  at  Ephesus  * 
certain  disciples  who  had  been  baptized  "  upon  the 
baptism  of  John  "  indicates  that  from  John  went 

>  Acts  19  : 1  flf. 


244       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

forth  some  to  distant  places  preaching  the  coming 
of  the  kingdom  of  God  and  baptizing  those  who 
accepted  the  message.  But  John  is  soon  followed 
by  Jesus  after  whom  John's  disciples  in  part  go. 
Jesus  did  not  take  these  over  bodily  nor  as  a  mat- 
ter of  course.  They  voluntarily  accepted  Him  as 
their  Messiah  or  Teacher,  and  it  would  seem  that 
by  no  means  all  John's  converts  were  ready  at 
once  to  accept  the  Messiah. 

Jesus  never  aimed  at  mere  numbers,  and  from 
the  first  could  not  trust  Himself  to  some  who 
professed  to  believe  in  Him.^  At  times,  especially 
in  Galilee,  He  was  all  but  overwhelmed  with  the 
multitudes,  more  or  less  interested,  and  from  va- 
rious motives.  They  came  even  from  beyond  the 
borders  of  Palestine.^  But  when  material  and 
sordid  hopes  began  to  realize  that  they  were 
doomed  to  disappointment  in  Jesus,  and  when  His 
enemies  pressed  hard  upon  His  disciples  as  here- 
tics, then  came  a  great  thinning  of  the  ranks  ^  and 
towards  the  end  there  were  not  many  who  felt  called 
on  to  face  the  difficulties  and  dangers  of  following 
Him. 

After  the  sifting  of  motives  and  the  testing  of 
faith,  even  after  the  encouragement  of  the  Resur- 
rection, there  were  only  somewhat  **  above  five 
hundred "  to  meet  the  Lord  on  the  appointed 
mountain  in  Galilee  to  see  and  hear  Him.^    And 

^  John  2  :  23-25.  2  Matt.  4 :  24. 

»  John  6,  etc.  *  I  Cor.  15  :  6. 


The  Missionary  Work  245 

of  all  these  we  find  but  **  about  a  hundred  and 
twenty  '*  *  who  accepted  the  discipleship  of  service 
and  went  to  the  upper  room  in  Jerusalem  to  await 
the  promised  Power  for  witnessing.  He  had  laid 
the  foundation,  made  the  atonement,  imparted 
His  Spirit  to  a  small  number  of  men.  These  had 
His  attitude  towards  the  Father  and  towards  men 
and  towards  the  world  order.  As  He  stood  with 
them  at  the  parting  on  Olivet  He  showed  them  a 
world  and  sent  them  to  feed  its  hunger  and 
save  its  life  just  as  He  had  sat  upon  the  slope  of  a 
hill  on  the  eastern  side  of  Galilee's  lake  and  blessed 
the  bread  and  fish  and  then,  breaking  it,  had  given 
it  to  the  disciples  to  set  before  the  hungry  thou- 
sands. His  success  consisted  in  making  a  few 
men  so  understand  and  share  His  Spirit  that  He 
could  live  and  labor  in  them.  This  is  ever  the 
measure  of  success  in  His  work. 

(2)  After  Pentecost  for  three  or  four  years  we 
have  a  period  of  "  beginning  from  Jerusalem," 
laying  the  foundations,  discovering  the  power  of 
the  Gospel  and  the  spirit  and  task  of  its  message.^ 
Then  for  six  or  seven  years  there  is  the  period 
**  in  Judaea  and  Samaria,"  within  which  there  is 
gradual,  progressive  and  undesigned  passing 
through  the  confines  of  Judaism  and  over  into  the 
world  of  humanity,  regardless  of  religious  forms 
and  history.^  After  this  the  Gospel  is  cut  loose 
from  its  Jewish  base  and  enters  upon  its  career  as 

>  Acts  1 :  15.  2  Acts  2-7.  3  Acts  8-12. 


246       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

a  world  force,  reaching  out  "  unto  the  uttermost 
parts  of  the  earth."  ^ 

When  we  undertake  to  measure  the  labors  and 
results  we  are  powerfully  impressed  with  the 
meagreness  of  record  and  paucity  of  data.  We 
have  no  account  at  all  of  nine  Apostles  ;  none  of 
Barnabas  and  Mark  after  they  part  with  Paul ; 
most  of  the  years  of  Peter's  ministry  are  unre- 
corded, and  of  thousands  of  workers  we  know 
nothing.  Tradition  scatters  the  Apostles  and  other 
workers  over  nearly  the  whole  of  Asia  and  North 
Africa,  while  the  course  of  history  follows  only  the 
wake  of  the  labors  of  Paul  and  others  in  Europe. 
The  names  of  countries  —  **  every  one  under 
heaven  " — represented  in  the  Pentecost  audiences 
indicates  an  almost  immediate  distribution  of  men 
with  knowledge  of  the  Gospel  over  all  the  Hmits  of 
the  Roman  world  and  bordering  lands  in  the  East. 
Naturally  the  Twelve  would  follow  the  converts 
into  these  lands  for  confirming  their  faith  and  ex- 
tending their  labors.  Then,  too,  the  fact  that  so 
many  of  the  Hebrew  race  remained  in  the  interior 
of  Asia  would  draw  in  that  direction  men  who 
were  to  preach  to  the  Jews  first  the  word  of  life. 

The  hints  in  the  New  Testament  are  verified 
in  profane  history  to  the  effect  that  by  the  end 
of  the  Apostolic  age  the  Roman  Empire  was 
well  planted  with  witnessing  stations,  churches 
of  Christ,   extending    south  as  far  as   Ethiopia 

*  Acts  13-28. 


The  Missionary  Work  247 

and  east  as  far  as  the  Hindu  Kush  and  the 
Caucasus  Mountains.  That  India  and  China 
were  entered  in  this  period  is  possible  but  no 
extensive  planting  of  the  Faith  in  either  is 
probable.  So  much  for  geographical  extent. 
The  numerical  measure  cannot  be  determined. 
There  are  numerous  notes  in  the  early  chapters 
of  Acts,  but  these  grow  indefinite  and  we  are 
soon  reading  of  **  multitudes  both  of  men  and 
women,"  **  a  great  company  of  men,  and  many 
even  of  the  priests,"  ''of  the  devout  (proselyte) 
Greeks  a  great  multitude,  and  of  the  chief 
women  not  a  few,"  ^  of  "  many  .  .  .  also  of 
the  Greek  women  of  honorable  estate,  and  of 
men  not  a  few,"  ^  etc.,  etc. 

By  A.  D.  60,  the  Roman  Government  no  longer 
confused  the  Christians  with  the  Jews,  as  a 
mere  sect,  but  recognized  their  separate  entity 
and  found  them  so  numerous  that  it  thought 
it  advisable  to  check  their  growth.  Already 
they  must  have  numbered  from  a  quarter  to  a 
half  million.  Tens  of  thousands  died  under  the 
Neronian  and  Diocletian  persecutions.  By  the 
end  of  the  century  their  numbers  are  variously 
estimated  at  from  two  to  five  millions  in  the 
Roman  Empire,  with  a  goodly  number,  pos- 
sibly, beyond  its  limits. 

As  a  social  power  the  Christians  became  an 
early  and  growing  factor  in  the  life  of  the  people. 

1  Acts  17:4.  '  Acts  17  :  13. 


248       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

We  are  accustomed  to  think  that  God's  order  in 
converting  a  people  is  to  begin  with  the  lowest 
orders  of  society  and  work  upward.  This  as- 
sumption has  not  been  sufficiently  questioned. 
The  truth  is  rather  that  there  is  no  specific 
order  in  the  social  scale.  Paul  could  say  that 
in  Corinth  ''not  many  wise  after  the  flesh,  not 
many  mighty,  not  many  noble "  were  among 
their  number,^  but  he  could  also  write  from 
Rome,  **  All  the  saints  salute  you,  especially 
they  that  are  of  Caesar's  household."  ^  Luke  is 
careful  to  tell  us  that  very  many  of  Paul's  con- 
verts belonged  to  the  leading  classes.  Pro- 
fessional religionists  and  men  of  pride  in  social 
position  or  learning  were  not  won  in  great 
numbers,  though  Paul  is  himself  an  exception 
here,  but  neither  would  it  be  true  to  imagine 
that  the  bulk  of  early  Christians  belonged  to  the 
class  of  ignorant,  degraded  and  poor.  *'  The 
lewd  fellows  of  the  baser  sort "  usually  combined 
with  the  Jewish  elders  and  Pharisees  to  with- 
stand the  work  of  the  missionaries,  and  the 
converts  came  from  that  sober,  serious  middle 
class  who  constitute  the  strength  of  any  com- 
munity and  every  movement  that  wins.  The 
chosen  Apostles  of  the  Lord  were  not  technical 
students  nor  men  of  great  material  possessions, 
yet  Matthew  was  a  man  of  means,  James  and 
John  left  their  father  with  the  hired  servants  when 

1 1  Cor.  1 :  26.  2  Phil.  4 :  22. 


The  Missionary  Work  249 

they  forsook  their  fishing  for  discipleship,  Peter 
was  able  to  entertain  Jesus  in  his  house  at 
Capernaum,  Nathaniel  was  a  distinguished 
Israelite,  and  the  Zealot  had  won  a  name  for 
political  activity.  The  **  publicans  and  sinners  " 
who  found  in  Jesus  so  good  a  friend  were  not 
all  thieves  and  harlots.  The  terms  only  mean 
that  they  were  without  religious  standing  in 
the  critical  orthodoxy  of  the  synagogues  of 
that  day  and  Jesus  had  as  little  standing  there 
as  had  these  followers.  **  The  common  people  " 
who  **  heard  Him  gladly  '*  were  just  the  plain, 
simple-hearted  people  with  no  religious  pride 
to  spoil  and  no  religious  standing  to  lose,  open 
to  God's  message  and  ready  for  God's  salvation. 
And  as  it  was  in  Jewry  so  it  was  in  all  the 
world.  A  Nicodemus  and  a  Joseph  of  Arama- 
thea  stood  at  one  limit,  a  dying  robber  on 
the  cross  and  "  a  woman  that  was  a  sinner " 
at  the  other  limit  and  from  one  limit  to  the 
other  God  called  in  the  Gospel  of  His  Son,  and 
all  who  answered  were  saved  ;  the  great  majority 
were  of  the  middle  class  who  really  belong  to  no 
class.     This  fact  needs  thought. 

Out  of  all  proportion  to  their  numbers  the 
Christians  are,  before  the  end  of  the  first  century, 
exerting  great  influence  and  power  for  the  ren- 
ovation and  elevation  of  social  life.  Many, 
including  the  authorities,  still  regard  them  with 
suspicion  and  hatred  but  they  have  become  in 


250       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

great  measure  the  light  of  the  world  and  the 
salt  of  the  earth. 

(3)  It  will  be  proper  very  briefly  to  sum- 
marize the  reasons  for  such  rapid  growth  in 
this  period. 

(a)  First  of  all  is  that  material,  intellectual 
and  spiritual  preparation  of  the  world  for  mis- 
sions which  we  have  set  forth  so  inadequately 
in  this  chapter.  When  God  is  preparing  to  send 
the  message  He  is  preparing  hearers  for  the 
message.  This  is  one  of  the  first  lessons  of  New 
Testament  missions. 

(d)  The  enthusiasm  of  Christians  for  their  new 
faith  helpedo  They  were  free  from  the  forms  and 
traditions  of  religion,  unhampered  by  the  dignity 
of  order,  the  restraint  of  precedent,  or  the  reserve 
of  propriety.  At  first  their  religion  was  in  all 
respects  personally  accepted  and  every  element 
of  it  was  matter  of  individual  experience.  Chil- 
dren were  not  yet  "  born  into  the  Church  '^  nor 
did  they  inherit  a  faith  implicit  in  many  things 
that  might  never  become  explicit  in  their  intel- 
ligent belief.  Such  a  faith  was  vital  in  every  man 
and  strong  to  project  itself  through  him.  As  far 
as  possible  we  must  restore  and  maintain  these 
conditions  in  each  generation  if  we  would  have 
generations  of  Christians  mightily  impelled  to 
missions. 

(c)  There  was  everywhere  immediate  contact 
with   the  world   to  be  evangelized.     There  was 


The  Missionary  Work  251 

no  such  distinction  as  **  Christian  lands "  and 
"heathen  fields."  So  far  from  needing  to  seek 
a  field  for  service  no  New  Testament  Christian 
was  able  at  all  to  escape  the  heathen.  They 
pressed  in  upon  him  at  every  turn.  His  work 
was  ever  ready  to  his  hand,  and  he  must  teach 
the  other  man  or  be  corrupted  by  him.  The  same 
condition  exists  still  so  soon  as  we  recover  the 
true  idea  of  witnessing  for  Jesus.  Remembering 
that  all  are  born  unregenerate  and  that  no  land  or 
district  is  yet  in  the  full  sway  of  the  kingdom,  our 
work  is  as  near  as  that  of  the  saints  at  Antioch 
and  PhiHppi. 

{d)  Persecutions  kept  the  churches  purified. 
There  was  no  worldly  gain  of  any  sort  to  be  had 
for  professing  the  Name.  Only  those  whom 
God's  Spirit  had  touched  would  have  reason 
for  adding  themselves  to  the  bands  of  Jesus' 
witnesses.  We  live  under  other  conditions  and 
must  strive  after  that  purity  of  church  member- 
ship which  was  largely  provided  automatically  in 
the  days  of  the  Apostles.  And  we  may  remem- 
ber that  even  then  many  who  were  unworthy  did 
get  in,  alas  for  the  weakness  of  human  nature  I 

(e)  Missions  were  then  on  the  heart  of  every 
Christian.  To  this  end  were  they  called.  Elec- 
tion was  for  service  and  not  for  selfish  congratu- 
lation. That  is  a  very  significant  fact  recorded 
in  Acts  II  :  26  where  it  came  to  pass  "that  the 
disciples  were  called  Christians  first  at  Antioch." 


252       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

"Were  called"  represents  a  Greek  word^  quite 
different  from  what  one  would  expect.  It  means 
**  were  called  after  their  business  "  as  one  names 
certain  men  ** bakers"  or  "tailors."  They  were 
given  the  business  name  of  Christians.  If  that 
could  only  be  forever  a  business  name  all  the 
world  would  soon  at  least  know  that  there  was 
"  opened  a  fountain  for  sin  and  uncleanness." 

No  limitations  were  laid  on  the  layman  in  pro- 
claiming the  Christ.  All  were  witnesses  and  to 
the  end  of  this  period  it  was  accounted  that  any 
man  may  be  essentially  a  prophet  for  '*  the  testi- 
mony of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy."  ^ 

^  ^pTjfiaTtffat,  *Rev.  19:  10. 


XI 

THE  MISSIONARY  CONSUMMATION— PROPHECY 
OF  MISSIONS 

IF  we  raise  the  whole  question  of  the  outcome 
of  missions  and  the  manner  and  order  of 
events  in  that  outcome  we  shall  set  for  our- 
selves a  task  not  merely  impracticable  but  alto- 
gether impossible.  An  entire  volume,  the  size  of 
this,  would  not  be  sufficient  for  stating  fully  all 
the  schemes  of  prophecy  that  have  been  set  out 
by  prophetic  students  of  all  degrees  of  patience  and 
care,  as  well  as  of  imaginative  fancy  and  con- 
structive genius. 

I.  Theories  of  the  progress  and  outcome  of  the 
Gospel  age  and  of  the  manifestation  of  the  King  in 
His  glory.  Here  we  can  do  no  more  than  to 
group,  by  the  principle  of  general  likeness,  into 
four  classes  the  innumerable  views  on  this  subject. 
Truly  there  are  as  many  schemes  as  writers,  and 
a  great  many  more,  for  there  are  many  who  give 
themselves  to  scheme-making  for  the  kingdom 
who  have  not  been  able  or  disposed  to  commit 
them  to  print ;  and  no  two  such  students  have 
been  found  to  agree  in  the  details  of  the  "  plan 
of  the  ages." 

253 


254       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

(i)  Foremost  of  all  we  would  place  the  class 
who  designate  the  present  age  as  the  age  of  the 
Church,  the  Ecclesia,  or  of  Outgathering,  or  of 
Election.  All  these  terms  are  regarded  as  practi- 
cally synonymous  designations  of  the  chief  fact  of 
the  age.  It  is  also  called  the  Age  of  Witnessing, 
but  this  term  cannot  properly  be  appropriated  by 
any  class  of  expositors  since  witnessing  is  so  clearly 
the  method  of  missions  under  whatever  theory  one 
may  hold  as  to  their  outcome.  Only  when  the 
word  is  used  in  a  narrow  sense  can  it  be  so  appro- 
priated. Unfortunately  it  seems  so  to  be  employed 
by  some,  as  if  the  function  of  the  Gospel  were  to 
witness  to  a  few  of  each  nation  that  God  might 
save  them  under  certain  conditions,  but  in  the 
case  of  the  majority  to  prepare  for  using  this 
message  as  a  basis  of  condemning  them.  Such 
an  idea  is  so  unworthy  of  God  and  so  utterly  at 
variance  with  God's  declared  desire  that  all  might 
come  to  repentance  and  salvation,^  and  Christ's 
declaration  that  He  was  not  come  to  condemn  the 
world  but  to  save  it,^  that  one  wonders  gready 
that  good  men  should  ever  have  thought  of  wit- 
nessing in  this  light.  To  represent  the  Gospel  as 
laying  the  foundation  for  condemning  the  great 
majority  of  men  mistakes  the  nature  of  man, 
already  condemned,  and  the  nature  of  God,  seek- 
ing to  save. 

Returning  to  the  theory  in  its  most  general 

*  I  Tim.  2 : 3-7,  etc.  «  John  12 :  47. 


The  Missionary  Consummation         255 

comprehension,  it  maintains  that  relatively  few  are 
to  be  saved  in  this  age.  Then  will  come  the  age 
of  the  kingdom,  the  millennium,  with  Satan  bound 
and  the  universal  work  of  salvation  under  the 
personal  reign  and  direction  of  the  Messiah. 
Whether  the  agents  of  the  Christ  in  saving  the 
world  are  then  to  be  all  Christians,  the  Church  ; 
or  the  Jewish  nation,  redeemed  ;  or  the  Jews  and 
martyred  Gentile  saints  then  reigning  with  their 
Lord  on  earth,  there  is  much  difference  of  opinion. 

It  is  also  a  question  among  those  of  this  view 
whether  the  age  is  to  become  genuinely  Christian 
or  only  nominally  so.  Again  is  there  difference 
as  to  whether  the  Christ  will  reign  in  person  or  by 
a  Deputy,  and  whether  this  age  will  issue  in  the 
completion  of  the  work  of  redemption  and  the 
turning  over  of  all  to  the  Father,  or  will  be  suc- 
ceeded by  another  age  of  Messianic  reign. 

Support  for  the  general  character  and  result  of 
the  present  missionary  period  is  found  in  such 
passages  as  Mark  i3:26f.  and  Acts  15:14!!. 
•*  Then  shall  they  see  the  Son  of  Man  coming  in 
clouds  with  great  power  and  glory.  And  then 
shall  He  send  forth  the  angels,  and  shall  gather 
together  His  elect  from  the  four  winds,  from  the 
uttermost  part  of  earth  to  the  uttermost  part  of 
heaven."  That  these  "  elect  *'  shall  be  only  a  few 
from  each  nation  is,  however,  a  hardly  legitimate 
inference,  especially  in  view  of  Jesus'  own  treat- 
ment of  the  question  "Are  there  few  that  are 


256       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

saved  ? "  *  He  declined  to  discuss  that  but  in- 
sisted on  the  most  earnest  effort  to  enter  in. 

James  said  before  the  Jerusalem  Council :  ^ 
"  Symeon  hath  rehearsed  how  first  God  visited 
the  heathen,  to  take  out  of  them  a  people  for  His 
name.  And  to  this  agree  the  words  of  the  proph- 
ets ;  as  it  is  written, 

After  these  things  I  will  return 

And  will  build  again  the  tabernacle  of  David, 
which  is  fallen  ; 

And  I  will  build  again  the  ruins  thereof, 

And  I  will  set  it  up  : 

That  the  residue  of  men  may  seek  after  the 
Lord, 

And  all  the  Gentiles  (heathen  nations)  upon 
whom  My  name  is  called, 

Saith  the  Lord,  who  maketh  these  things  known 
from  of  old." 

Two  uses  are  made  of  this  :  First :  James'  ex- 
pression "  visited  the  Gentiles  to  take  out  of  them 
a  people  for  His  name  "  is  supposed  to  convey  the 
idea  that  God's  plan  in  this  age  is  to  visit  all  the 
nations  and  take  out  of  each  a  few  for  Himself 
while  for  the  most  part  they  remain  in  sin  and 
death  ;  second :  James  is  supposed  to  have  given 
an  outline,  in  the  quotation  from  Amos  9  :  11  f.,  of 
the  successive  stages  of  the  scheme  of  the  ages, 
which  involves,  (a)  "visiting"  for  election  of 
Gentiles   while  Jews   remain   untouched   for  the 

» Luke  13  :  22  flf.  2  Acts  15  :  14-18. 


The  Missionary  Consummation         257 

most  part ;  {b)  restoration  of  the  Jews  to  Jerusa- 
lem ;  {c)  conversion  of  the  Israelites ;  {d)  the 
evangeHzation  of  the  rest  of  the  world ;  {e)  the 
consummation  of  the  age.  All  these  items  ex- 
cept the  first  are  to  be  after  Christ's  return. 

It  would  seem  however  that  James  understood 
His  words  to  mean  Jehovah's  return,  in  the  Mes- 
siah, for  a  work  that  was  to  include  Jew  and 
Gentile ;  for  the  purpose  of  James  was  the  very 
practical  one  of  justifying  the  work  of  Barnabas 
and  Saul  and  reaching  a  Christian  conclusion  as 
to  the  proper  requirements  to  be  made  of  converts 
from  heathenism. 

One  might  refer  to  many  authors  here  but  it 
will  be  sufficient  to  mention  the  very  admirable 
and  useful  course  of  lectures  on  "  The  Holy  Spirit 
in  Missions  "  by  the  late  Dr.  A.  Jc  Gordon. 

(2)  There  are  a  great  many  who  seem  to  as- 
sume that  all  the  work  of  missions  is  to  precede  the 
second  coming  of  our  Lord  and  the  millennium. 
There  is  to  be  a  gradual  growth  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  until  that  time  when  the  results  of  the 
age  of  witnessing,  together  with  the  effects  of  a 
cataclysmic  demonstration,  will  be  gathered  to- 
gether under  the  personal  reign  of  the  Christ. 
Something  like  this  seems  to  be  involved  in  the 
thinking  of  the  large  majority  of  those  who  speak 
upon  missions  and  conduct  them.  It  cannot  be 
said,  however,  as  is  true  of  the  first  class,  that  the 
views  are  the  result  of  any  definite  and  sustained 


258       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

effort  to  determine  the  exact  outcome,  or  the  order 
of  events  especially  as  to  the  millennium.  Indeed 
it  is  quite  common,  though  less  so  than  formerly, 
to  hear  the  advocates  of  missions  say  that  "We 
have  nothing  to  do  with  results,"  it  being  our 
duty  to  carry  the  Gospel  to  all  men,  leaving  the 
outcome  wholly  with  God. 

The  general  progressive  character  of  the  work 
of  mission  conquest  in  this  age  is  sustained,  be- 
sides several  prophecies,  by  the  parables  of  the 
leaven,  the  mustard  seed,  the  seed  growing  of  itself, 
the  tares,  etc. 

(3)  A  third  view  is  in  harmony  with  the  evolu- 
tion theories  which,  in  all  spheres  of  learning, 
dominate  the  thought  of  our  time.  According  to 
this  view,  by  the  long  processes  of  evolution  the 
spiritual  forces  at  work  in  society,  ethics  and  re- 
ligion will  ultimately  gain  control  and  dominate 
the  earth  and  thus  will  be  brought  in  the  "  new 
heaven  and  the  new  earth  wherein  dwelleth  right- 
eousness." No  effort  is  made  to  sustain  this  view 
by  specific  texts  of  Scripture,  though  the  claim 
would  be  made  by  many  that  the  spirit  of  the 
Bible  is  at  least  not  out  of  harmony  with  such  a 
view.  It  is  frankly  admitted  that  this  is  not  con- 
sistent with  the  common  Christian  belief  in  the 
possible  imminency  of  the  return  of  the  Lord  to 
the  earth,  for  the  second  coming  is  practically 
eliminated  from  this  theory.  For  a  brief  but  very 
clear  and  frank  stating  of  this  position,  as  well 


The  Missionary  Consummation         259 

as  for  a  very  admirable  discussion  of  some  phases 
of  missionary  science  the  reader  is  referred  to 
Clarke's  *'  Study  of  Christian  Missions." 

(4)  One  more  view,  or  attitude,  towards  this 
question  must  be  taken  into  account.  There  are 
very  many  who  do  not  feel  that  it  is  safe  or  satis- 
factory to  undertake  to  work  out  any  detailed 
schemes  for  the  progress  of  the  ages ;  they  can- 
not even  find  that  there  is  any  certain  teach- 
ing as  to  the  relation  of  the  millennial  age  to 
the  missionary  duty  and  task,  nor  even  as  to  the 
nature  and  duration  of  the  millennium.  They  yet 
feel  that  the  work  of  missions  has  a  very  great 
bearing  on  all  the  plans  of  God  with  reference  to 
the  race ;  expect  great  results  in  the  moral  and 
religious  reformation  of  the  race  through  the 
Gospel,  accounting  it  the  power  of  God  unto  sal- 
vation of  Jew  and  Gentile  and  on  no  small  scale  ; 
and  they  hope  that  the  climax  of  the  missionary 
age  will  be  the  coming  of  the  Lord  the  second 
time,  apart  from  sin,  but  still,  as  at  the  first  Ad- 
vent, unto  salvation,^  while  at  the  same  time  they 
do  not  undertake  to  say  what  will  be  done  in  this 
new  age  for  the  salvation  of  men.  The  parables 
of  the  kingdom,  the  prophecies  of  the  Messianic 
rule,  the  commands  and  promises  of  Christ  seem 
to  this  class,  so  far  as  our  missionary  duty  and 
expectation  are  involved,  to  have  to  do  with  the 
present    Gospel    age.     They   find   their  horizon 

»  Heb.  9  :  28. 


26o       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

marked  out  as  in  Paul's  injunction  to  Timothy : 
**  I  charge  in  the  sight  of  God  and  of  Christ  Jesus, 
who  shall  judge  the  living  and  the  dead,  both  by 
His  appearing  and  His  kingdom ;  preach  the 
word,  when  there  is  good  opportunity  and  when 
there  is  no  opportunity."  ^  Paul  places  here  two 
great  events,  the  Advent  and  the  Judgment,  be- 
tween which  lies  the  kingdom,  so  far  as  our 
preaching  introduces  it. 

2.  Among  all  these  views  we  come  to  inquire, 
What  can  we  know  from  the  prophecies  as  to  mis- 
sions f 

Certainly  we  can  know  something.  To  His 
friends  Jesus  has  made  known  all  that  He  heard 
from  the  Father,^  and  Paul  reveals  to  us  some- 
thing of  the  plan  of  the  ages  which  God  laid  down 
in  Christ  Jesus,^  and  Jesus  sends  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  teach  His  missionaries  all  things,  to  remind 
them  of  the  teachings  of  Jesus,  to  guide  into  all 
truth  and  to  declare  things  to  come.^  It  is  not 
clear  to  what  extent  the  Spirit  will  announce  **  the 
coming  things  "  beforeha^td.  He  will  interpret  at 
the  time  much,  surely,  as  Jesus  did. 

When  we  begin  to  seek  in  Revelation  for  the 
answer  to  our  question  we  find  two  classes  of 
Scriptures :  plain  open  teaching  which  is  often 
directly  related  to  the  missionary  task  and  oppor- 

1 2  Tim.  4 :  I  f.,  an  effort  to  render  the  exact  meaning  of  the  originaL 
*  John  15  :  15.  *Eph.  3:11  and  context. 

«  Cf.  John  14 :  26;  16  :  13. 


The  Missionary  Consummation         261 

tunity  imposed  by  our  Lord  ;  apocalyptic  teaching 
which  leaves  room  for  limitless  latitude  of  inter- 
pretation, and  the  interpreters  have  exercised  great 
liberty  here.  The  limits  of  our  chapter  warn  us 
not  to  undertake  to  invent  a  new  theory,  or  de- 
cide among  schemes  which  can  be  wrought  out 
from  apocalyptic  utterances  only  by  means  of 
cryptographic  keys  which  vary  with  all  the  inter- 
preters and  where  each  key  opens  up  a  different 
scheme. 

We  must  by  no  means  despise  the  apocalypse. 
We  must  keep  in  mind  that  its  purpose  never  is 
to  present  a  scheme  of  detailed  history  to  be 
wrought  out.  The  end  of  all  true  prophecy,  pre- 
dictive and  declarative,  is  the  same,  to  serve  the 
moral  and  spiritual  ends  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Some  things  are  told  before  they  come  to  pass 
that  when  they  are  come  to  pass  we  may  believe  ;  ^ 
and  that  we  may  not  stumble  where  the  way  seems 
dark  and  God's  presence  in  doubt.^  To  His  saints 
in  hours  of  persecution,  and  when  the  prophet  may 
not  speak  in  plain  terms  on  account  of  peculiar 
conditions,  comes  the  word  of  God  in  apocalypse.* 
So  it  was  in  the  times  of  the  later  Old  Testament 
prophets  and  so  it  was  when  John,  Peter  and  Jude 
wrote. 

We  must  know  the  situation  of  prophet  and  au- 
dience before  we  can  understand  the  language  of 

ijohn  15  :29.  'John  i6:  iff. 

»  Cf.  Rev.  1 :  9  ff.,  which  explains  the  form  for  the  whole  work. 


262       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

the  cryptogram.  Of  one  thing  we  may  always  be 
sure ;  he  meant  to  teach  that  God  rules,  that  God 
cares  for  what  His  saints  suffer,  that  they  must  be 
faithful  to  Him  under  all  circumstances,  and  that 
in  the  end  righteousness  shall  reign.  ^  Nothing 
could  be  much  more  surprising  than  that  some 
most  pious  and  godly  men  have  sought  so  dili- 
gently to  find  in  our  Lord's  discourses  about  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  the  consummation  of  the 
age  and  His  own  appearing,  a  scheme  of  history 
and  a  plan  for  material  rule,  whereas  the  lessons 
the  Lord  Himself  pointed  are,  (i)  do  not  be  led 
astray  into  expecting  to  find  Christ  in  the  midst 
of  every  calamity  ;  (2)  be  most  faithful  in  preach- 
ing to  all  nations  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom  ;  (3) 
be  always  ready  for  the  coming  of  your  Lord  for  the 
time  of  that  coming  is  not  and  will  not  be  known. 
Here  is  a  warning  against  being  deceived, 
against  being  surprised,  against  neglecting  the 
duty  of  faithful  stewardship  with  the  Master's 
goods.  On  this  occasion  as  on  all  others  Jesus 
meets  questions  of  curiosity  with  an  insistence  on 
moral  earnestness  and  faithful  service.  In  other 
words,  He  declines  to  answer  questions  of  this  sort 
which  lead  men  to  less  concern  for  the  main  thing, 
which  is  faithful  trust  and  work  whatever  may  be 
God's  times  and  plans. 

1  See  a  discriminating  article  by  Rev.  R.  J.  Drummond  in  Review 
and  Expositor,  January,  1908,  "  The  Purpose  and  Forms  of  New  Tes- 
tament Eschatology." 


The  Missionary  Consummation         263 

About  this,  then,  several  negative  features  must 
be  kept  in  mind  : 

(i)  Jesus  declares  that  of  the  day  and  hour  of 
this  consummation  all  men,  even  He  Himself,  are 
in  ignorance,  the  Father  only  knowing.^ 

(2)  That  the  times  and  the  seasons  the  Father 
has  reserved  to  Himself  and  that  it  is  not  for  the 
workers  to  know  them.^  The  full  force  and  ap- 
plication of  this  statement  will  be  the  more 
evident  when  we  recall  the  question  that  called 
it  forth.  The  followers  of  Jesus  have  at  last 
come  to  understand  that  Jesus  is  not  seeking  to 
found  a  great  world  empire ;  that  their  busi- 
ness mainly  is  a  spiritual  work  and  must  seek 
spiritual  results.  It  has  been  a  tedious  and  un- 
welcome lesson,  but  it  has  been  learned.  But  still 
they  cannot  dismiss  the  Jewish  hope  of  national 
independence  and  power.  Surely  this  will  be  a 
circumstance  attendant  on  the  mission  of  their 
Messiah,  one  result  of  His  incarnation.  So  they, 
feeling  sure  that  this  is  to  come  now  or  later,  ask 
Jesus  :  **  Lord,  dost  Thou  at  this  time  restore  the 
kingdom  to  Israel  ?  "  His  reply  is  very  significant 
and  bears  its  force  for  all  workers.  He  says  in 
effect :  **  That  is  a  question  with  which  you  have 
nothing  to  do.  Your  one  business  is  witnessing 
to  Me  and  for  that  you  shall  have  power  from  My 
Father." 

Some  have  sought  still  to  know  and  have  justi- 

1  Mark  13 :  32.  «  Acts  i :  7. 


264       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

fied  themselves  by  saying  that  the  Spirit  later  re- 
vealed the  course  of  events,  appealing  to  Paul's 
word  that  "  faithful  Christians  are  not  in  darkness 
that  that  day  should  overtake  them  as  a  thief "  ;  ^ 
yet  Paul  cannot  have  meant  that  we  are  not  in  ig- 
norance of  the  time,  for  he  has  just  said  that  we 
"  know  perfectly  that  the  Lord  cometh  as  a  thief 
in  the  night."  Our  light  is  in  knowing  that  He 
will  come  and  our  protection  is  constant  watchful- 
ness, never  falling  morally  asleep.^  What  Jesus 
Himself  did  not  know  in  the  day  of  His  humilia- 
tion we  shall  not  do  well  to  seek  to  know  in  the 
day  of  our  service. 

(3)  Another  thing  to  be  kept  in  mind  is  that 
Jesus  warns  against  materializing  our  expecta- 
tions of  His  kingdom.  To  Pilate  Jesus  declares, 
"My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world,''  not  to  be 
established  by  force,  He  adds  :  and  then  declaring 
that  He  is  a  King  He  indicates  the  spiritual  char- 
acter of  His  kingdom  in  the  words  :  *'  To  this 
end  have  I  been  born,  and  to  this  end  am  I  come 
into  the  world,  that  I  should  bear  witness  unto 
the  truth.  Every  one  that  is  of  the  truth  heareth 
My  voice." ^  "Being  asked  by  the  Pharisees 
when  the  kingdom  of  God  cometh.  He  answered 
them  and  said.  The  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not 
with  observation:  neither  shall  they  say,  Lo, 
here !  or  there !  for  lo,  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
within  you."     Then  He  turned  from  His  enemies 

»  I  Thess.  5:4.  2  1  Thess.  5  :  i-i  i.  3  John  18 :  36  f. 


The  Missionary  Consummation         265 

to  His  friends  and  warned  them  against  being  so 
eager  to  see  *'  one  of  the  days  of  the  Son  of  Man  *' 
as  to  go  off  after  some  false  suggestion.  There 
will  be  no  mistake  about  it  when  He  comes  but 
meantime  we  are  to  be  in  expectant  faithful- 
ness/ 

In  all  plain  statements  by  our  Lord  and  by  His 
spokesmen  the  events  that  are  to  precede  His 
return,  the  exact  conditions  of  the  world  and  the 
outcome  of  Gospel  proclamation,  the  order  of  the 
ages,  all  are  left  purposely  under  such  uncertainty 
as  that  no  man  can  ever  say  that  they  have  all 
now  been  fulfilled  and  the  day  of  the  Lord  is  at 
hand,  or  that  they  have  not  yet  all  been  fulfilled 
and  so  the  Lord  cannot  be  coming  now.  How 
fully  and  how  long  the  Gospel  is  to  be  preached 
in  all  nations ;  how  many  people  and  what  social 
institutions  are  to  be  redeemed  in  this  age  and 
what  in  the  next;  all  this  the  Father  hath  set 
within  His  own  authority  and  we  must  work  the 
works  of  Him  that  sent  our  Saviour  while  the  day 
lasts.^ 

It  is  possible  to  elaborate  a  complete  scheme  of 
eschatology  only  by  taking  as  literal  figurative 
statements  and  as  definite  prediction  pictorial 
apocalypse,  and  then  among  such  figurative  and 
apocalyptic  utterances  making  selections  and 
combining  together  words  by  different  writers 
under    different    circumstances.     At    least  so   it 

1  Luke  17  :  20-37.  'John  9  :  4. 


266       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

appears  from  examination  of  many  such 
schemes.  There  is  a  rationalism  in  this  process 
which,  while  infinitely  more  reverent  than  that  of 
the  destructive  criticism,  is  equally  as  serious  for 
sober  understanding  of  the  Word  of  God.  If  the 
Bible  is  a  book  of  riddles  it  is  as  little  useful  for 
the  ordinary  reader  as  if  it  is  a  conglomerate  of 
various  documents  under  the  hands  of  many 
redactors. 

But  enough  of  the  negative.  Let  us  turn  to 
the  clear  teaching  which  has  practical  bearing  on 
the  work  of  missions.  Here  we  can  discuss  only 
a  few  representative  passages.  We  must  take 
care  that  so  far  as  possible  our  passages  shall  be 
thoroughly  representative  and  cover  all  the  main 
facts  revealed  with  reference  to  the  work  of 
missions. 

We  know  that  in  the  seed  of  Abraham  all  the 
families  of  the  earth  are  to  be  blessed,^  and  Paul 
applies  this,  with  almost  exclusive  force,  to  Christ 
and  to  all  who  are  blessed  through  Him.^ 

In  the  covenant  promise  to  the  Son  "  set  on  the 
holy  hill  of  Zion  '^  we  have  already  seen  how  to 
Him  the  Father  will  give  the  heathen  for  an  in- 
heritance and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for 
a  possession.  The  opposing  nations  He  will 
break  with  a  rod  of  iron  and  dash  them  in  pieces 
like  earthen  vessels.  All  the  rulers  of  the  earth 
are  invited  to  submit  betimes  and  accept  volun- 

1  Gen.  12:1-3.  «Gal.  3;i6. 


The  Missionary  Consummation         267 

tarily  the  service  of  the  Son,  to  take  refuge  in 
Him  from  His  wrath.^ 

Micah  presents  a  picture  of  the  day  of  grace 
and  peace,^  a  part  of  which  we  find  also  in 
Isaiah  ;  ^  Jerusalem  is  to  be  in  utter  desolation  on 
account  of  iniquity ;  **  But  in  the  latter  days  it 
shall  come  to  pass  that  the  mountain  of  Jehovah's 
house  shall  be  established  at  the  head  of  the 
mountains,  and  it  shall  be  exalted  above  the 
hills ;  and  peoples  shall  flow  into  it.  And 
many  nations  shall  go  and  say.  Come  ye,  and 
let  us  go  up  unto  the  mountain  of  Jehovah,  and 
to  the  house  of  the  God  of  Jacob ;  and  He  will 
teach  us  of  His  ways  and  we  will  walk  in  His 
paths.  For  out  of  Zion  shall  go  forth  instruction, 
and  the  word  of  Jehovah  from  Jerusalem ;  and 
He  will  judge  among  many  peoples  and  will 
decide  concerning  strong  nations  afar  off ;  and 
they  shall  beat  their  swords  into  plowshares, 
and  their  spears  into  pruning  hooks ;  nation 
shall  not  lift  up  sword  against  nation,  neither 
shall  they  learn  war  any  more."  There  shall 
be  universal  peace  with  individual  rights  and 
possessions.  This  good  time  is  needed,  for 
now  "all  the  peoples  walk  every  one  in  the 
name  of  his  god."  But  God's  Israel  will  faith- 
fully and  persistently  walk  forever  in  the  name 
of  Jehovah  our  God  until  that  day.  Then  the 
lame  and  rejected  and  afflicted  peoples  shall  all 

*  Ps.  2 :  7-12.  1  Micah  4  :  1-9.  » Isa.  a :  2  flf. 


268       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

have  place  and  honor  in  the  blessing  when 
"Jehovah  will  reign  over  them  in  Mount  Zion 
from  henceforth  even  forever."  Here  we  see  the 
central  and  attracting  position  of  the  **  mountain 
of  Jehovah's  house  "  ;  the  turning  to  it  of  peoples 
and  the  active  efforts  of  "  many  nations  "  to  in- 
duce men  to  "go  up  to  the  mountain  of  Jehovah "  ; 
the  discriminating  selection  among  nations  and 
determination  of  their  part  in  the  movement ; 
the  foremost  nations  shall  abolish  war  and  intro- 
duce a  reign  of  peace  ;  Jehovah  reigning  forever 
over  all  from  Mount  Zion. 

When  we  apply  this  prophecy  to  the  kingdom 
of  the  Messiah  there  comes  the  temptation  to 
localize  and  materialize.  But  Jesus  Himself 
placed  a  bar  to  this  tendency  when  He  declared 
to  the  woman  of  Samaria  that  the  time  was  com- 
ing in  practice,  as  indeed  it  was  already  present 
in  principle,  when  place  worship  would  be  abolished 
and  true  worshippers  would  worship  God  in  spirit 
and  in  truth — the  wish  and  aim  of  God.^ 

The  prophet  to  whom  God  gave  the  most 
vivid  pictures  of  the  coming  One  sees^  in  the 
midst  of  the  captive  degradation  of  Jehovah's 
people  the  messengers  of  peace  and  salvation 
upon  the  mountains  of  vision.  They  proclaim, 
"  Thy  God  reigneth  "  and  all  the  watchmen  see 
Jehovah  coming  back  to  Jerusalem  to  comfort 
and  redeem  His  people  manifesting  His    power 

» John  4 :  21  ff.  «  Isa.  52 :  7-53 :  12. 


The  Missionary  Consummation         269 

**  in  the  eyes  of  all  the  nations  ;  and  all  the  ends 
of  the  earth  have  seen  the  salvation  of  our  God." 
There  is   to   be   no   haste,  for  Jehovah  protects. 

But  now  comes  ^  a  summary  outline  of  the 
Servant's  impression  on  men.  He  is  to  prosper 
and  be  exalted  and  lifted  up  until  He  is  very 
high  (verse  13).  But  meantime  He  is  to  be 
despised  and  His  claim  and  mission  will  astonish 
many  (verse  14).  But  as  they  were  at  first 
astonished  at  the  contrast  between  appearance 
and  claim  **  so  shall  He  startle  ^  many  nations  " 
at  the  revelations  of  His  mission  (verse  15).  He 
will  suffer  great  humiliation  and  death  for  His 
people,  then  *'  He  shall  see  seed,  He  shall  pro- 
long His  days,  and  the  pleasure  of  Jehovah  shall 
prosper  in  His  hands."  He  shall  be  satisfied 
with  the  outcome  in  many  made  righteous 
through  the  knowledge  of  Himself.  Jehovah 
will  *'  divide  Him  a  portion  with  the  great,  and 
He  shall  divide  the  spoil  with  the  strong."  ^ 

In  Isaiah  9  : 6  f.  it  is  said  of  the  Son  to  be  born, 
that  "the  government  shall  be  upon  His  shoul- 
der "  and  that  **  of  the  increase  of  His  government 
and  of  peace  there  shall  be  no  end,  upon  the 
throne  of  David,  and  upon  his  kingdom  to  estab- 
lish it,  and  to  uphold  it  with  justice  and  righteous- 
ness from  henceforth,  even  forever.    The  zeal  of 

*Isa.  52:  13-15. 

3  There  can  hardly  be  anj  question  of  this  rendering. 
»Isa.  53:  IO-I2. 


270       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Jehovah  of  hosts  will  perform  this/'  The  growth 
of  Messiah's  kingdom  shall  be  unbroken.  With 
this  agree  the  predictions  of  Daniel  who  foresaw 
that  the  kingdom  **  which  the  God  of  heaven  "  set 
up  in  the  midst  of  the  kings  already  on  the  hori- 
zon of  Daniel's  vision  **  shall  never  be  destroyed, 
nor  shall  its  sovereignty  be  left  to  another  people, 
but  it  shall  break  in  pieces  and  consume  all  those 
kingdoms,  and  it  shall  stand  forever."^  Ulti- 
mately "  the  kingdom  and  the  dominion,  and  the 
greatness  of  the  kingdoms  under  the  whole 
heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints 
of  the  Most  High  ;  His  kingdom  is  an  everlasting 
kingdom  and  all  dominions  shall  serve  and  obey 
Him."^  This  is  to  follow  a  powerful  effort  to 
destroy  the  saints.  In  the  latter  half  of  Isaiah  are 
many  indications  of  the  triumphant  conquest  of 
Messiah's  rule  over  all  opposition,  and  of  univer- 
sal recognition  of  His  blessing.  In  order  properly 
to  understand  these  pledges  it  is  necessary  to  re- 
member that  in  these  chapters  Jehovah's  Servant 
is  sometimes  personal,  the  Messiah,  sometimes 
collective,  the  Messianic  people.  The  Messianic 
people  are  called  Israel,  Jacob,  etc.,  but  mean 
those  through  whom  Jehovah  is  bringing  the 
blessings  of  His  kingdom  to  mankind. 

One  writer  bitterly  blames  those  "  Christian  peo- 
ple" who  are  so  "complacently"  given  to  "  ignor- 
ing the  existence  of  the  Jew  "  and  "  appropriating 

»  Dan.  2  :  44.  «  Dan.  7  :  13  f.,  27. 


The  Missionary  Consummation         271 

to  the  Church  things  and  promises  which  never 
belonged  to  it."  But  it  is  Paul  who  bids  us, 
"  Know  therefore  that  they  that  are  of  faith,  these 
are  sons  of  Abraham.  And  the  Scripture  foresee- 
ing that  of  faith  God  justifies  the  nations  an- 
nounced-beforehand-good-tidings  ^  to  Abraham, 
In  thee  shall  all  the  nations  be  blessed.  So  then 
they  who  are  of  faith  are  blessed  with  the  faithful 
Abraham  .  .  .  that  upon  the  nations  the 
blessing  of  Abraham  might  come  in  Jesus  Christ, 
in  order  that  we  may  get  the  promise  of  the  Spirit 
through  faith.  .  .  .  For  ye  are  all  sons  of 
God  through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  .  .  .  Jew 
nor  Greek  is  possible  ...  for  all  ye  are  one 
in  Christ  Jesus.  And  if  ye  are  Christ's,  then  are 
ye  Abraham's  seed,  and,  on  the  basis  of  promise, 
heirs."  ^  And  Peter  applies  the  term  "  The  Dis- 
persion," which  the  Old  Testament  uses  of  the 
scattered  people  of  God,  to  Christians  irrespective 
of  nationality  ^  and  declares  of  Christians  in  gen- 
eral that  they  are  **  an  elect  race,  a  royal  priest- 
hood, a  holy  nation,  a  people  for  God^s  own  pos- 
session ; "  *  thus  specifically  applying  to  non-Jews 
the  designations  formerly  supposed  to  be  limited 
to  Israel.  This  does  not  at  all  mean  that  God  has 
no  special  plans  for  *'  His  ancient  people,"  but  it 
does  call  us  to  the  application  of  the  Messianic 

»  One  word  in  the  Greek.  *  Gal.  3  :  7-29. 

'  I  Peter  i :  i.    The  contents  of  the  epistle  make  it  impossible  to 
limit  it  to  Jewish  Christians.  *  I  Peter  2 : 9  flF. 


272       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Scriptures  in  general  to  that  Israel  of  God  which 
is  so  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus. 

Recurring  then  to  the  visions  of  the  Evangelical 
Isaiah  we  find  in  chapter  60  a  vivid  word  picture 
of  the  coming  of  all  peoples  to  the  people  of  God, 
brilliant  with  the  risen  Light  upon  them.  When 
all  are  thus  coming  eagerly  to  the  brightness  of 
their  rising  that  nation  and  kingdom  that  will  not 
serve  Jehovah's  Servant  shall  perish  ;  "  yea  all 
those  nations  shall  be  utterly  wasted  "  (verse  12). 
Similarly,  the  last  word  of  this  prophet  ^  is  a  pic- 
ture of  universal  peace  and  glory,  partly  wrought 
by  preaching  of  the  divine  glory  among  the  na- 
tions and  partly  by  the  exercise  of  God's  power 
removing  and  suppressing  the  incorrigible. 

Zechariah  has  similar  visions^  but  with  more 
elaboration  and  with  the  obscurity  of  apocalypse. 

The  New  Testament  would  be  the  proper  source 
for  most  definite  information  as  to  the  progress  of 
the  Gospel  age.  Here  the  striking  fact  is  that 
stress  is  laid  on  the  teaching  that  this  is  the  age 
of  **  grace  and  truth,"  the  time  for  subordinating 
all  to  personal,  faithful  service  of  the  kingdom  of 
God,  the  age  of  limitless  offers  of  salvation,  the 
age  of  the  Spirit's  power  in  applying  the  things 
of  Christ ;  but  we  do  not  find  much  of  the  details 
of  eschatological  expectation.  It  will  be  better  to 
outline  the  certain  teachings  of  prophecy,  citing 
the  New  Testament    passages    as    they  apply. 

*  Isa.  66.  «  Especially  Chs.  8,  9,  13. 


The  Missionary  Consummation         273 

These  will  of  course  be  in  harmony  with,  and  in- 
terpretative of,  the  Old  Testament  predictions. 

(i)  Jesus  announced  a  kingdom  that  is  to  be 
all  embracing  and  final/  This  is  assumed  by  Him 
and  accepted  by  His  hearers  in  a  way  that  re- 
quires little  affirmation.  His  Church  shall  never 
be  overcome  by  the  powers  of  Hades  and  the 
keys  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  forever  admitting 
such  as  are  being  saved.^  On  this  point  no  ques- 
tion seems  ever  to  have  entered  the  minds  of  His 
Apostles.  "  The  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ"  is  "eternal."  That  king- 
dom is  now  present  but  is  incomplete  and  awaits 
its  glory.^  It  needs  not  to  be  sought  after  for  it  is 
already  among  and  within  men,*  men  are  now 
pressing  into  it.^ 

(2)  His  kingdom  is  to  be  on  earth  but  is 
essentially  spiritual  and  we  must  beware  of 
materializing  it.  The  kingdom  of  God  is  not 
meat  and  drink  but  righteousness,  peace  and  joy 
in  the  Holy  Spirit.^  Flesh  and  blood  cannot  in- 
herit it,  nor  any  corruptible  element.^  So  that  in 
a  certain — the  full — sense  we  shall  not  enter  it 
until  delivered  from  this  life.^ 

(3)  This  kingdom  is  to  be  progressive.  It 
will  grow  steadily  wider  and  deeper,  gaining  in- 

»  Cf.  Matt.  28  :  18-20.  2  cf.  Matt.  l6 :  l6  fF. ;  Acts  2 :  47. 

3  Matt.  16 :  27  f. ;  i  Thess  2:12,  etc.  ^  Luke  17  :  21. 

5  Matt.  II  :  12.  6 Rom.  14:  17. 

'  I  Cor.  15 :  50.  8  2  Tim.  4 :  18. 


274       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

creasing  hold  on  men,  increasing  power  in  the 
earth,  increasing  influence  with  the  rulers  of  men.^ 
The  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  become  the 
kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  His  Messiah.^  So  the 
parables  of  the  leaven,  the  mustard  seed,  the  seed 
growing  of  itself,  the  king  going  into  a  far  coun- 
try to  receive  his  kingdom.  The  *'Httle  flock'* 
with  which  He  begins  are  to  have  no  fear  for  it  is 
the  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  them  the  king- 
dom.^ The  kingdom  which  has  been  given  Him 
of  the  Father  He  gives  to  them. 

(4)  In  exact  accord  with  the  Old  Testament 
presentations,  we  find  that  Jesus  had  no  expecta- 
tion of  gaining  all  men  to  willing  and  loyal  sub- 
mission.' He  entertained  no  false  optimism.  He 
had  no  delusion  about  the  depth  and  bitter  per- 
sistence of  human  rebellion  against  His  Father. 
He  found  in  His  own  experience  how  many  there 
were  who  would  not  come  unto  Him  that  they 
might  have  life.  His  heart  must  bleed  in  com- 
passionate pity  over  them  that  He  would  save 
while  they  would  not.^  If  they  had  rejected  Him 
they  would  reject  His  messengers  also ;  but  as 
some  had  received  His  word  so  also  would  they 
receive  that  of  His  servants.^ 

The  words  with  which  Jesus  spoke  to  the 
disciples   on   the   evening   of    the   close   of    His 

1  Luke  1 :  32  f. ;  cf.  Dan.  2 :  44,  etc. ;  Isa.  9 :  7. 

2 Rev.  II:  15.  3  Luke  12:  32. 

4  Matt.  23":  37  ;  cf.  John  5  :  40.  6  John  15  :  17  fif. 


The  Missionary  Consummation         275 

ministry  ^  show  clearly  how  fully  He  realized  that 
He  was  kindling  a  fire  in  the  earth  that  must 
burn  many,  sending  a  sword  among  men.  The 
Gospel  could  not  be  a  savor  of  life  unto  life 
without  being  a  savor  of  death  unto  death.^ 

A  number  of  passages  in  the  Gospels  and 
Pastoral  Epistles,  and  some  elsewhere,  indicate  a 
period,  or  periods  of  *'  falling  away "  ^  and  of 
great  wickedness  attending  the  progress  of  the 
kingdom.  That  such  should  be  the  case  belongs 
to  the  very  nature  of  men  and  of  spiritual  things. 
Of  course  such  "  falling  away"  will  be  antecedent 
to  the  glorious  fullness  of  the  kingdom.  That 
there  is  to  be  some  very  special  and  unique 
manifestation  is  also  affirmed  but  its  nature  can 
hardly  be  known  before  the  event.  What  Paul 
refers  to  in  Thessalonians  *  was  already  incipient 
in  his  time.  That  the  forces  of  evil  will  prove 
especially  malignant  is  to  be  expected  at  various 
stages.  "  Evil  men  and  impostors  will  wax  worse 
and  worse  "  ^  but  that  is  not  to  say  that  they  will 
be  in  preponderate  numbers  or  in  triumphant 
position.  "They  shall  not  proceed  too  far"^ 
being  under  the  limitations  of  God  who  maketh 
the  wrath  of  men  to  praise  Him  while  the  re- 
mainder of  wrath  He  doth  restrain.^ 

>  Matt.  24-25  ;  Mark  13  ;  Luke  19.  '2  Cor.  2  :  16. 

3  Cf.  I  Tim.  4 :  I  ff. ;  2  Tim.  3 :  i,  and  the  apocalyptic  discourse  of 
Jesus,  as  above.  ■*  2  Thess.  2. 

6  2  Tim.  3:13.  « 2  Tim.  3:9.  '  Ps.  76 :  10. 


276       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

The  fact  of  intense  and  extensive  hindrance  to 
the  progress  of  religion  of  Jesus  ;  in  spite  of  the 
fact  that  the  love  of  many  will  grow  cold  and 
lampstands  are  frequently  removed  because  their 
light  has  failed ;  there  still  seems  to  be  no  proof 
that  Jesus  or  His  Apostles  expected  any  cessation 
of  the  progressive  development  of  the  truth  and 
the  salvation  of  God  in  the  earth  until  the  time 
shall  come  for  closing  the  missionary  age. 

(5)  There  is  to  be  a  restoration  of  the  Jewish 
people,  even  of  the  whole  Hebrew  people,  to 
"  saving  favor."  So  we  usually  phrase  it.  Per- 
haps we  should  say  they  are  to  come  to  a  recep- 
tive attitude  to  the  Messiah.  Here  the  details  are 
uncertain.  Paul  gives  us  the  most  distinct  New 
Testament  teaching  on  this  subject  in  Romans 
9-1 1.  After  expressing  his  own  deep  longing 
and  grief  over  "his  brethren"  he  insists  that 
their  unbelief  does  not  argue  that  "  the  word  of 
God  hath  come  to  nought,"  ^  for  natural  relation 
is  not  the  basis  of  determination ;  "it  is  not 
the  children  of  the  flesh  that  are  children  of 
God  "  ^  and  "  they  are  not  all  Israel  that  are  of 
Israel."^  God  endured  for  long  "vessels  fitted 
for  destruction"  and  displays  the  riches  of  His 
glory  upon  "  vessels  of  mercy,  which  He  afore  pre- 
pared unto  glory,  whom  He  also  called,  not  from 
the  Jews  only,  but  also  from  the  Gentiles."  *    It 

» Rom.  9:6.  9  Rom.  9 :  8. 

»  Rom.  9 :  $.  4  Rom.  9 :  22f. 


The  Missionary  Consummation         277 

is  not  at  all  a  matter  of  race  but  of  grace  and  of 
accepting  the  divine  call,  and  this  is  God's  pur- 
pose as  announced  through  Hosea  ^  and  Isaiah.^ 
He  then  shows,  in  chapter  10,  that,  lacking  faith, 
the  natural  Israel  has  in  the  past  not  been  saved. 
Has  God  then  cast  away  His  people  ?  ^  Not  at 
all,  many  of  them  are  saved,  Paul  himself  being 
an  example.  There  is  **  a  remnant  according  to 
the  election  of  grace "  (verse  5)  that  is  saved  but 
not  on  the  basis  of  formal  work  or  of  lineage. 
The  trespass  and  rejection  of  the  Jews  is  based  on 
their  unbelief;  the  acceptance  and  salvation  of 
the  Gentiles  is  by  God's  grace  through  faith. 
This  Jewish  apostasy  is  partial  and  temporary.* 
Then,  in  a  pregnant  passage^  we  read  this  re- 
markable outline :  **  For  I  do  not  wish  you  to  be 
ignorant,  brethren,  as  to  this  secret — so  that  you 
may  not  be  wise  in  your  own  conceits — that  a  con- 
dition of  hardness  in  part  has  come  upon  Israel 
until  the  time  when  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles 
(the  complete  recognition  of  the  principle  of  the 
salvation  of  the  nations)  come  in ;  and  thus  all 
Israel  will  be  saved,  even  as  it  is  written : 

There  shall  come  out  of  Zion  the  Deliverer  ; 

And  He  shall  turn  away  ungodliness  from 
Jacob  ; 

And  this  is  the  covenant  which  I  give  them,  ^ 

1  Hosea  2 :  23 ;  cf.  1 :  10.  '  Isa.  10 :  22f. ;  cf,  I  :  9. 

•Rom.  II  :  I.  <Rom.  11:7-24. 

»  Verses  25-32.  *  From  Isa.  59 :  2of. 


278       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Whenever  I  shall  take  away  their  sins.^ 
On  the  basis  of  the  Gospel,  then,  they  are  ene- 
mies through  you,  but  on  the  basis  of  the  election 
they  are  beloved  through  the  fathers  ;  for  not  to 
be  regretted  are  the  gifts  and  the  calling  of  God. 
For  just  as  you  were  formerly  disobedient  to  God, 
and  now  were  shown  mercy  in  their  disobedience, 
even  so  were  these  for  the  present  disobedient  in 
your  mercy  (time)  in  order  that  they  too  may  now 
have  mercy.  For  God  did  shut  them  all  up  to- 
gether into  disobedience  in  order  that  He  might 
be  merciful  unto  them  all.'* 

The  rejection  of  the  Messiah  by  the  Jews,  as 
their  historical  rejection  of  Jehovah  even  before 
the  Messiah's  advent,  and  God's  rejection  of  them 
was  the  occasion  of  reconciling  the  world,  and 
their  restoration  will  be  life  from  the  dead  (verse 
15).  God  has  put  all  men  on  a  common  basis 
under  the  Gospel;  all  are  in  disobedience  and 
death,  all  are  offered  life  through  faith.^  Israel  is 
dear  to  God's  heart  because  of  His  past  relations 
to  them :  the  root  is  holy  and  so  must  the  branches 
be  ;  the  first  fruit  (the  many  early  Jewish  converts) 
is  holy  and  betokens  a  holy  harvest  in  its  time.^ 
That  this  means  that  the  Jews  are  to  be  the  special 
agents  of  evangelization  is  not  so  clear  though  for 
Semitic  peoples  they  would  seem  the  fitting  mis- 
sionaries and  the  Semitic  peoples  have  so  far  been 

»  From  Isa.  27  :  9.  2  Cf.  the  argument  in  Rom.  1-3. 

3  Rom.  II :  16. 


The  Missionary  Consummation         279 

little  reached  by  Gentile  missionaries.  That  Gen- 
tile Christians  are  all  to  be  removed  from  the 
world  while  Jews  carry  the  Gospel  seems  an  un- 
founded fancy  of  the  scheme  building  brethren. 
That  the  Jews  are  to  have  another  period  of  na- 
tional life  and  prosperity  seems  to  be  predicted 
but  we  cannot  forget  that  God's  promises  are  con- 
ditional to  the  nations,  and  that  there  is  great 
danger  of  material  literalness  in  interpreting  the 
predictions  of  a  Faith  that  is  concerned  primarily 
with  the  spirit.  Certain  it  is  that  much  of  the 
agitation  of  this  subject  in  our  own  time,  as  here- 
tofore, is  along  lines  calculated  to  engender  in  the 
Jews  just  such  earthly,  material  and  sordid  hopes 
as  proved  their  undoing  when  the  Messiah  came 
two  thousand  years  ago,  and  when  the  splendor 
of  a  glorious  earthly  kingdom  in  their  hopes 
blinded  their  eyes  to  their  King  coming  to  them 
with  justice  and  salvation,  lowly  and  riding  upon 
an  ass.^  Whatever  may  be  in  store  for  Israel  in 
earthly  rule  we  may  feel  quite  sure  that  God  is 
far  more  desirous  of  leading  them  into  the  spiritual 
kingdom  of  redeeming  love  than  to  an  earthly 
Canaan  of  material  and  temporal  splendor.  And 
in  this  leading  we  may  have  a  share ;  the  other 
God  must  work  by  His  own  counsels. 

With  the  jealousy  of  those  who  so  covet  for 
Christ  a  great  earthly  dominion  for  a  period  of  a 
thousand  years  when  men  yield  a  feigned  obedi- 

»  Zech.  9 :  9. 


28o       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

ence,  under  material  force,  supporting  the  ex- 
pectation by  literal  reading  of  apocalyptic  utter- 
ance, we  cannot  go  while  we  remember  that  Jesus 
would  not  allow  men  to  make  Him  a  king ;  that 
He  declared  that  His  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world, 
and  that  He  rebuked  the  disciples  who  at  the  last 
moment  sought  to  know  whether  the  kingdom 
might  not  now  be  restored  to  Israel. 

(6)  In  the  end  Christ  will  triumph  over  all 
opposition  and  will  reign  supreme  in  a  spiritual 
world  and  *'  then  the  end  when  He  shall  deliver 
up  the  kingdom  to  the  God  and  Father :  when 
He  shall  have  abolished  all  rule  and  all  authority 
and  power.  For  He  must  reign  till  He  hath  put 
all  His  enemies  under  His  feet.  .  .  .  And 
when  all  things  have  been  subjected  unto  Him, 
then  shall  the  Son  also  Himself  be  subjected  to 
Him  that  did  subject  all  things  unto  Him,  that 
God  may  be  all  in  all."  ^  God's  plan  is,  in  the 
administering  of  "  the  fullness  of  the  times,  to 
sum  up  all  things  in  Christ,  the  things  upon 
the  heavens  and  the  things  upon  the  earth."  ^ 
Because  of  the  obedient  humiliation  of  Christ 
Jesus  ''God  highly  exalted  Him,  and  gave 
unto  Him  the  name  which  is  above  every  name ; 
that  in  the  name  Jesus  every  knee  shall  bow,  of 
things  in  heaven,  in  earth  and  under  the  earth, 
and  that  every  tongue  shall  confess  that  Jesus 
Christ    is    Lord    unto    the    glory    of    God    the 

>  I  Cor.  15  :  24-28.  2Eph.  i :  10 ;  cf.  Col.  I :  i6--20. 


The  Missionary  Consummation         281 

Father."  ^  That  the  final  submission  of  many 
men  and  institutions  must  be  compulsory, 
before  "the  earth  shall  be  full  of  the  knowl- 
edge of  Jehovah,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea,"  ^ 
we  are  left  in  no  doubt,  but  the  exact  nature 
of  this  power  and  its  application  we  cannot 
conclude  from  the  figures  of  wars  and  natural 
calamities  which  picture  the  awful  facts.  That 
the  work  of  missions  saves  multitudes  from  wrath 
is  clear  and  the  long-suffering  delay  of  God 
means  salvation.  ^ 

(7)  In  the  face  of  all  this  prophecy  the 
Christian  duty  faithfully  to  bear  witness  to 
Jesus  as  Saviour  is  unaffected  by  any  plans 
which  God  may  hold  within  His  own  authority, 
save  in  so  far  as  a  knowledge  of  the  holding  of 
such  plans  adds  seriousness  and  hope,  con- 
viction and  joy  to  the  acceptance  of  that 
duty. 

We  know  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  propitiation 
for  our  sins  and  for  the  whole  world  ;  that  the 
whole  world  lieth  in  the  wicked  one;  that  this 
is  life  eternal,  that  they  should  know  the  Father 
as  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  as  the 
one  whom  He  hath  sent ;  that  He  sends  us 
into  the  world  to  proclaim  salvation  to  all ; 
that  some  will  reject  us  with  His  message 
as    they    rejected    Him ;    that    as   He   will   not, 

» Phil.  2:9-11,  literal.  » Isa.  11:9. 

3  Cf.  2  Peter  3:9;  Rom.  2 :  4. 


282       Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

neither  shall  we  fail  nor  be  discouraged  till  He 
shall  have  set  justice  in  the  earth  and  the  isles 
shall  wait  for  His  law ;  that  the  dispensation 
of  the  ages  with  their  "  times  and  seasons " 
are  in  the  authority  and  control  of  the  Father 
who  administers  them  with  reference  to  redemp- 
tion through  the  Gospel ;  that  it  is  ours  to  go 
right  on  working  to  the  utmost,  in  the  manner 
and  with  the  means  of  our  commission,  to 
establish  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the  earth ; 
that  in  it  all  our  Lord  and  we,  through  His 
Holy  Spirit,  work  for  certain  success,  forasmuch 
as  we  know  that  our  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the 
Lord. 

In  God's  time  and  way,  partly  by  our  faithful 
efforts, 

"  Jesus  shall  reign,  where'er  the  Sun 
Does  his  successive  journeys  run, 
His  kingdom  spread  from  shore  to  shore, 
Till  moons  shall  wax  and  wane  no  more." 

Even  so,  Come,  Lord  Jesus  1    Amen  !     ' 


INDEX 


Genesis    3 :  15 158    Psalms  22 :  27 


6 : 5-6 
9:  1-19 

II:  1-9 

12 :  1-4   . 

i8:i8f. 

18:25 


153 

159 

155 

.  40  f.,  145,  266 

159 

....         II 


21  :  22ff. 235 

22 159  f. 

26  :  3  f.      160 

26  :  26  fF. 235 

28  :  14 160 

49  :  10 160 

Exodus  19  :  1-5 160 

19  :  3-6   ,    .    .    .41  f.,  145 

Numbers  10  :  29 238 

14:  2off. 161 

Deuteronomy    4:7 131 

10  :  12-19 145 

10:  12-22 160 

32  :  43 94 

Joshua    2  ;  8  ff. 237 

6  :  22  f. 237 

9 23s 

Judges  4:11      238 

Ruth  I  :  i6ff. 236  f. 

1  Kings  10 :  i-io     .    .    .  187,  236 

2  Kings  5 237 

17:  24-41 239 

1  Chronicles  22  :  2  f.     ....  236 

2  Chronicles  2  :  2,  I7f.     .    .    .  236 

6:  32f. 162 

Ezra., />assim 241 

1:2 241 

.5-6 241 

'Neheraia.h,  passim 241 

Psalms  2 54  ff-.  146 

2:  7-12 266  f. 

8 51 

18  :  49 94 

22 56  f.,  146 

283 


24.  .  . 
47  •  •  . 
49 :  7-9 
50.  .  . 
65 


141,  164 
.  .165 
.  .165 
.  .  i36f. 
.  .  146 
165,  238 

66 165,  238 

67 146,  165 

68 165 

69 :  I 64 

72 57.  146 

72:  15 "7 

76  :  10 275 

80 146 

86:9 68 

96 165 

96:  3     .......    68 

97 165 

98 146,  165 

98  :  2        .    .    .  4»  187,  234 

103  :  19 12 

105 165 

105  :  «5 '67 

1 10 102  {.,  146 

.     .165 

.  .    94 

.  .  166 

,  .  166 

.  .    69 

.  .  166 

.  .  166 

.  .  166 

.  .  140 

.  .238 

.  .  277 
164,  267 

•  .    65 

.  .  146 

.  .    68 


117      .    .    .    . 
117:  I     .    .    . 

126:  2f.        .     . 

145  :  6,  9-13  . 

145  ••  13  .    .    • 

145  :  21  .    •    • 

148:  11-13    . 

150:6    .    .    . 

Proverbs  24 :  11-12 

Ecclesiastes  12:  13/. 

Isaiah  1:9     .    .    .    . 

2  :  2  ff .    .    . 

6:3     ..    . 

7  :  14  .    .    . 

9 


9 :  I  ff. 93»  146 

9:2 12 


284 


Index 


Isaiah  9  :  6  f. 369,  274    Isaiah  62:  it 187 

10-20 162  66 272 

lo:22f. 277  66:18 65 

ii:i-io.    .    .    .146,212  66:18-24.    .  35,  38f.,47l. 

II  :  1-12 164   Jeremiah  1:3 163 

11:9 281  15:  I 233 

II  :  10 94  16:  19-21 146 

19:  18-25    .    .    .  146,  164  l8:5ff. '63 

20      231  25:  27f. 163 

27:9 277  31:34 12,  134 

32:  15 214  46-51 163 

40 :  3-5 146  46  :  I 163 

40 :  5 65    Ezekiel  14:14 20,  233 

42:1-9    .    .    .    .146,213  39:21-22 146 

42  :  1-13 57  40-48 166 

42:5fr. 127    Daniel  2         68 

42  :  8    .......    64  2  :  36-45 166 

43:1-13 146  2:44f.      .    .    .146,232, 

43  :  ^13    .    .  44»  125,  164  270,  274 

43  :  25-28 43  4 240 

44 129  ff.  4:  19-27 166 

44  :  1-8  ....  43  f.,  146  4  :  34 69 

44:3 214  5:  II 242 

44:24-45-25     ...    35  6:25ff. 241 

45:  20-25 138  7  :  12 166 

48:16      213  7:13-14,27    .146,231, 

49 58  f.  270 

49  :  6 136    Hosea  i  :  10 277 

49  :  8 100  2  :  23 277 

50:4-11 39  Joel  2:  28ff.    .    .    .    .  50,  146,  164 

51:  1-5 39  2:32 135 

51  :  4-6 146    Amos  1-2 162 

52:  7-53:  12  ....  268  9:7 163 

52:13-53:12     .    .    .  146  9:7-15.    .    .        .    .  164 

52:  15       13,96    Jonah  1-3 163,  238  f. 

53 154    Micah  I  :  4-9 267 

53:  " 57  4:1-5....  146,  164 

54  :  13 134  5:2-5 146 

55      -    .    .    53  Zephaniah  3  :  8-10  .    .    .  146,  164 

56  :  1-8 38    Haggai  2  :  4-9 166 

56:3flF. 134    Zechariah  2 :  3-13 166 

59      214  2  :  9-13 146 

59:  2of. 277  6:9-15 166 

60 272  8      272 

60:  1-3 93,  187  8:  13,  18-23  ....  166 

60:  1-14    ....  35,  146  9 272 

60  :  7 65  9  :  9-10  ....  166,  279 

61  :  I 212  13 272 

61  :  4-6 44,  127  14  :  16-21 166 


Index  285 


Zechariah  14:  20-21     ....    66    Mark  11  :  24 221 

Matthew  i  :  5,  6 237  13 274  f. 

I  ;  j8 211  ^    13  :  II 211 

1:21 80  13  :  26f. 255 

2:  ifif. 17  13  :  32 263 

3  :  I  f- 69  15  =  34 220 

3:  i6f. 212    Luke  I  :  I  f. 23,  196 

4 ;  24 224  I  :  32 274 

5:  " 61  I  :35 211 

5  :  14-16   ....  15,  66  I  :  55 17 

5:48 61  i:78f.     .    .    .    .93,126 

6  :  4,  6 61  2:1 229 

6:9ff.     .    .    .  61,  70,  88,  2:14 17,65 

171,  220  2  :  30-32    ......     17 

6:  31-33 90  2:49 217 

6:32f.  .    .    .  61,  70, 20of.  3  :  21  f.  .    .    .    .  212,  216 

7  :  II,  12 61  4  :  I,  14 212 

9:36-10:5     .    .  73,  219  4:i8f. 127 

10:7 70  9:28-36 218 

II  :  12 273  10-13 70 

II  :  27 134  10:  2 74 

12:15,28,31     .    .    .  213  io:9ff. 70 

13      70  II  ••  I 217 

13:  33 188  II  :  13 226 

13  :  38 170,  183  12  :  33 70,  274 

14:  19 74  13  :  22ff. 256 

15  :  24 17  15      51 

16  :  16-18   .  105,  116,  273  17  :  20-37 265 

16  :  I9f.  .    .    .    .  184,  221  17  :  21 273 

16  :  27  f. 273  18  :  I 321 

18:5-20 118  18  :  29  •    • 90 

18:  18-20 89  19 274  f. 

19  :  28 90  ?9  :  46 218 

31  :  41 231  20      70 

23  :  37 274  21  :  12-19 199 

24  :  14  .  70,  102,  170,  193        22  :  31 220 

24-25 274  f.        23  :  34 46,  220 

25  70  24  :  13-35 '44 

28  :  16-20    .    .    .  142,  184  24  :  36-49 M2 

28  :  18  ff.  .    .  92,  171, 193,  24  :  47  .    .    .        .    .    .172 

273  24:48f.    .    .9l»ioi.  193. 

Mark  l :  1 23  208 

1  :  14-15 69   John  1:1-3 "o 

I  :  35 219  I  :  1-18 15 

3  ••  29,  30 213  I  :  4»  'o 12 

4 :  26-32        ...       189  I  :  14,  16 47 

5  :  I9f. 192  1  :  I7f. 52 

6  ;  7-13,  30  ff.    ...  198  I  :  14,  18 60 

6  :  46-48 219  I  :  32-34 2l« 


286  Index 

John  2:  17 64  John  15  :  26  f.   .  .  .  19,  99»  193. 

2:  23-25 244  210,  214 

3  :  i6f.  .  .  13,  30»  52,  75  15  •  26-16  :  16  ...  209 

3  :  34   214  15  :  27-16  :  4  .  .  .  .198 

4  :  4-42 240       16  :  I  ff. 261 

4:*2iff.  .  .  .  .172,268        i6:l-ii 210 

4:34 77       i6:7f. 91 

4:35 73»  170       16:  II 170 

5  :  30 77        16  :  12-16 210 

5  :  40 274  16  :  13  f.  .  .  19,  207,  260 

6 224        16  :  23 88 

6  :  I2f.,  15  ....  219        16  :  3of. 78 

6  :  37-38 77        16  :  33 76,  198 

6:45 134        17 76  ff. 

7  :  17 120        17  :  3 132,  186 

8  :  28 62        17:6-8 63 

8:  32 186        17  :  8ff.    197 

9:4 72,265        17:14-18 171 

10  ;  16 74        17  :  20 188 

11  :  41,42 220        17  :  20-26 209 

12  :  20-33  ....  75,  104        17  :  22 132 

12  :  23-36 198        17  :  23 188 

12  ;  28 218        17  ••  25 63,  132 

12  :  32 186        18  :  36 264 

12  :  44-50  .  .   .   61  f.        18  :  37 70 

12  :  46f.  ....  75,  254  20  :  19-23  .  .  72,  142, 184 

13:  31 67       20:  21 63,91 

14  :  6-12 62        20  :  31 23,  186 

l4:ioff.   85f.       21:15-21 184 

14  :  12-14  .  67,  102,  209,  Acts  1:1 22,  72 

221         1:2 213 

14:  12-29 209         I  :4f. 209 

14  :  15  f.,  17-19  .  .  .  209        1:6 168 

14  ;  18-23 90        ^  '  ^^° '42 

14  :  20-24 210        1:7 97,  263 

14  :  25-29 210  I  :  8  .  22,  91,  loi,  175, 

14  :  26 260  184,  193,  209,  226 

14  :  27 129  I  :  12-14  .  .  .  .  221  f. 

14  :  29 261  I  :  15 245 

14-16    .    .    .  62  f.,  91,  221  I  :  21-26 193 

15^:  1-25  ....  209,210  2 148,  215 

15:5 208,211  2:1-13 155 

I5:7f.    .    .    .67,87,211  2:14-21 50 

15  :  14-16 87  2  :  32  ....    .  loi,  193 

15  :  15       260  2  :  46f.  .    .    .    .  192,  273 

15:  I7ff- 274  2-7 245 

15-19 '72  3      M9 

15  520 198  3-  Hf. 154 

15  :  23-27     ...  91,  132  3  :  15 loi,  193 


Index  287 


Acts  4:3 199  Acts  13  :  14 195 

4:4 I49»  194       13  :  i6ff. 151 

4  :  10-20 149       13  :  31 ,oi 

4:12 137  13  :  46-48  .  38,  136,  I72f . 

4  :  13  ......  193       13-28 246 

4  :  18-20 193       14  ;  3 ,95 

4  :  20   185        14  :  15-17 124 

4  :  23 ff.,  33  ....  193       14  :  22f. 118 

4:23-31.  .  .98f.,  199       14:27 i82f. 

4:  31 215,222       15   156 

4  :  32 205        15  :  2-7 191 

4:  32-5  :  II  ....  201        15  :  3 204 

5-1-" 215        15:4 ,83 

5  :  12-14 194        15  :  8-14 191 

5  •  29-32 149  15  :  I2ff.  .  .  .  .  98,  195 

5  :  32 21,  loi        15  :  Hff- 255  f. 

5  :4lf. 199        15  :  28 216 

6:1-6 201        15:36 118,196 

6-7   215        15  :  36-41 183 

7  ;  54-60   ....  199       16  :  5 196 

8  .  .  182,  192,  215,  240  16  :  6-10,  14  ....  216 

8:1-3 199  16  ;  13  f.,  16  ....  223 

8  :  14  ff.   .....  195        16  :  25-34 233 

8  :  25 182       16  :  34 195 

8-12 245       17  :  1-3 152 

9   215       17:4,12 247 

9:11,17 222  17:22-31,  .  .  32ff.,  123 

9  ••  35»  42 194       17  :  27 126 

10  :  1-4 123        17  :  34 216 

IO:2f.,  9 222        18:1-5 202 

10  :  34  f. 123        18  :  9  f. 216 

10  :  34-43 150        18  :  26 192 

10  :  36-38 213  19  :  1-7  ...  .  216,  243 

10  :  i-ii  :  18  .  .  .  .  195        19:10 178 

lo-ii 216        19  :  I3f. 85 

11  :  1-18 169        20  :  21   151 

II  :  9-15   .  .  .  123,  152        20  :  27 178 

II  :  18   123        20  :  28 118 

II  :  20  ff.  .  182,  192,  195        20  :  34 202,  203 

II  :  23-29 182        21  :  8 192 

11:26 251       21  :  16 204 

11  :  27 216       22  :  14-21 184 

12 216  26  :  15-18  .  .  93,  130, 184 

12  :  I  fF. 199       26  :  16 193 

12  :  12 222       26  :  26 229 

12  :  16 191  Romans  1:4 213 

13  :  Iff.  .  .  .  .  176,  182        I  :  16   173 

13  •  2 179,  223  I  :  18-3  :  30  .  .  .  .154 

13  :  4-14  :  27  ....  216        1-3   278 


288 


Index 


Romans  2 49 


2 

3 
4 
5 
8 

9 

9 

9 

9- 
lo  : 
lo  : 
lo  : 

10  : 

11  : 


4  .  .  . 
23.  .  . 
24  f.  .  . 
6-8  .  . 
19-22  , 
1-9  . 
4f.  .  . 
6,  8,  22 


141 


I  Corinthians  i 
2  :  4  f . 
3: 
3: 
4-. 
4: 
4: 
8: 

9: 
12  : 
12  : 


6-17  .... 

12 

12-17    .    .    . 

I 

11:7-24  .... 
II  :  11-36    .    .    . 

II  :  16 

II  :  32 

11  :  33-36    .    .    . 

12  :  3-8    ...    . 

12  :  14 

12:  17 

15 93ff-.  157 

iS:8flF. 174 

15  :  16 126 

15  :  19 177 

15  :  20-24    .    .    .  175.  204 

15  :  3off. 224 

16  :  25-27      ....  108  f. 
26  .    .    , 


281 
153 
151 
53 
49 
174 
172 
276 
276 
174 
189 
19 

135 

277 
277 

31 

278 

139 
109 

215 
183 
273 


5ff.  . 

9    .  . 

6,9  . 

15.  . 

20  .  . 

4-7    . 
3-16  . 

4-1 1 
12,  27  f. 


.    .    .  191. 


12-14 
14:  I 


i-ii  . 

6    .    . 
24-28 

34.    . 


.7of-. 


[5:50 


248 

215 
215 

99 
199 

24 
215 
137 
203 

215 
114 
114 
191 

151 

244 
280 

115 

273 


16  :  1-13 201 


1  Corinthians  16  :  6,  lof.     .    .  204 

2  Corinthians  i  :  lo  f.   .    .    .    .  224 

1  :  15-2  :  4     ....  196 

2  :  14 126 

2  :  16 275 

3-  2f. 193 

4:  13 193 

5:9-6:3 185 

5^"; »f5 

5  :  I4f.     ....  97,  1S5 
5  :  I9f.       ....  13,  14 

5  :  20-6  :  2    .    .    .    .  99  f. 

6  :  4-10 199 

7  :  8-12 196 

8-9       201,  205 

9  :  12,  15 205 

1 1  :  7  ff.    ,    .    .    .  202,  ^3 

11  :  23-33 199 

12  :  14-  18 203 

Galatians  1:2 117 

1  :  11-27 '84 

2  :  18 140 

3  ••7-29 271 

3  :  16 266 

3  :  21  f. 139 

3  :  27  f.,  29     ....  173 

4:1-9 36  f. 

4  :  II  ff.  .    .    .    .  1 19,  140 
Ephesians  i        106 

I  :8ff. 71 

I  :  10    ...    ,       97,  280 

I  :  II-14 28 

I  :  11-27 184 

I  :  I5fif.   .    .    .  107  f.,  223 

1  :  22  f. 109 

2:4 53 

2  :  11-22    ....  132  ff. 
2:  I3ff. 27,47 

2  :  20 191 

3  :  1-13    ....  27,  107 
3:11 260 

3  :  I4ff.  .    .    .    .  112,223 

4:3-16 115 

4  :  8-16 Iiof. 

5:8      19 

5  :  8-11 188 

5  :  23,  25-27,  29    .    .  105 
6:  I9f. 225 

6  ;  21  f. 196 


Index  289 


Philippians  i  :  3-7 202    Hebrews  i  :  2-3 63 

1:6 21  2  :  7  ff,    .    .    .            .51 

1:7 203  2  ;  13  .    .        ....    80 

I  :  18 199  f.  2  :  15  .    .                        130 

I  :  19 225  4  :  16  .    .            ...  140 

1  :  20  ...    .  100  5:7 220 

2  :  9ff.    .    .    .  71,  80,  281  9  :  28  .    .    .    .        .    .259 

2  :  15 15,  1S6  10  :  10-13                    •  103 

2  :  17  ,...,.,    96  II  :  40 107 

4:5 188    James  4:3 88 

4  :  10-20 205    I  Peter  i  :  i 271 

4  :  15  f. 202  2  :  9-10   .    .  45,  188,  271 

4:  17.  18    .....  203  2:  10 13 

4  :  20       109  2  :  12 188 

4  :  22 .  248  3:1 188 

Colossians  i  :  12 93  3:9 54 

I  :  14-20  ....  71,280  4  :  II 109 

1:19 .  109    2  Peter  2:2 197 

I  :  23 126  3:9 49,  280 

I  :  24 loi,  199  3  :  12 102 

1  :  29 215  3  :  Hf. 49 

2:9 109  1  John  I  ;  3    .......    .  132 

4  :  2  if. 225  2:2 13 

1  Thessalonians  1:8...       119  3:8 171 

2  :  12 273  3  :  21-22 88 

5  :  i-il 264  4:  10 54 

5  :  25  .......  223  4  :  14 135 

2  Thessalonians  2 275  5  :  I4f. 88 

3:  If. 223  5:  19    ....     .21,  171 

I  Timothy  i  :  17  ......  109    3  John  5-8 204 

2:1-7....  136,  254  10      169 

2:4      53,140    Jude  24f. 109 

2:5-7    ......  138  Revelation  I  :  6    .    .    .    .109,116 

4  :  I  ff. 275  1:9 199 

4  :  10 53  I  :  9ff. 261 

6:20f. 24  1-3 116 


2  Timothy  2:2 24,  198  2  :  7 


118 

2:10.    .    .    .50,97,199  3:14-22 185 

3  :  I,  9,  13  .....  275  4:8 .     65 

4  :  I  f. 260  5 45  f- 

4  :  5     .......  192  7  :  9»  14 171 

4:  18, 273  11:15 274 

Titus  2:1 24  14 :  6    .        24 

Philemon  22 225  21  :  2f. ^o 

Hebrews  1:2.,        ...    30 


Theological  Seminary-Speer  Lib  ary 


1    1012  01056  0441    j 


' 

Date  Due 

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